Feeding the Wolves
by PickurePoison01
Summary: Running & hiding, that was all Harli could do as she tried to escape Atlanta. As she lied on death's door waiting for her end, something unexpected happens & she wakes up safe & secure. As she joins Rick Grimes' group, she begins to develop strong relationships with each individual, especially with one survivor in particular she didn't think would ever happen between them. Daryl/OC
1. Chapter 1

The bushes thrashed back and forth. A figure ran through the forestry from the mouths of death. Five of the infected chased her trail of blood. She felt as if she were a wounded animal running from a hunter. She was scared for her life. There were only two bullets left in her pistol and she had to make them count in such a dire situation. Her shotgun was out of ammo and taking on the five corpses with a knife was not an option.

She heard the infected creeping up on her, keeping in pace. Looking back at the decrepit faces of the walking dead, she saw their silver eyes staring at her with undying lust. She drew her gun and turned, aiming at the closest head in her sights. With the pull of her shaky trigger finger, the bullet pierced the infected brain just above the right eye of the body. The corpse dropped and the others continued to follow, not stopping for their fallen comrade in its dying moments. Their eyes continued to target her soft and warm flesh, making their mouths water at every instance.

Harli jumped over logs and rocks in the way of her fast travels, her long legs bounding as quickly as they could. The infected were keeping their pace with her and panicked even more as she started to lose her stamina. She had been running for miles trying to get away from the crowded, abandoned city. The very corpses that were chasing her had spotted Harli just outside the perimeter and had been following her since. Every time she would stop for a breather, they would catch up in absolutely no time. She had copious amounts of lacerations on her skin, both deep and shallow, that allowed the sweet scent of her blood waft through the air. She had no way of getting out of the jaws of death as the dinner bell continued to ring.

A stray root caught her foot and she gasped upon tumbling down a steep hill that suddenly appeared before her.

Harli crashed against the rough dirt and slid into a small puddle, coming to an abrupt halt. Pain riddled through her body and just as she tried to move her arms to get up, she had immediately fallen face first into the ground. Letting out a loud cry, Harli's hand grazed over the culprit of her pain, feeling, and eventually seeing, a thick stick lodged into her shoulder. She gritted her teeth and sucked in the pain, crawling out of the puddle and across the hot, warm dirt; the sun beating down on her skin through the veil of tree leaves above her. Loud snarls and hisses erupted behind her and she looked over her shoulder, seeing them all pursuing after her. But with their lust came incredible dilemma as their stumbling legs had a hard time stepping down the steep hill. Some fell and rolled to the bottom with a very slow recovery time.

The pain in Harli's legs from being slammed and scraped against the ground in her tragic descent from the hill made her crawl slowly. She groaned as she grabbed at tree roots, rocks, and moss under her hands to try and gain leverage. With a deep breath, she muscled out as much strength as she could and continued to crawl. The stick lodged in her shoulder drug across the ground as she, making the pain almost unbearable as it dug its way deeper into her muscles. Gasps and deep moans slipped out of her lips in the agony, every surge of pain making her slower and slower. Her skin crawled as she heard the dragging footsteps of the undead behind her and turned, seeing one of the corpse's only feet from her. It hissed and clawed at Harli as it closed in, waddling faster as the black decay of drool slipped from its yellow teeth. Sliding her hand into the holster on her leg, she drew her gun one last time, with one last bullet, and fired.

The corpse dropped to the ground, and once again, its death didn't stop the last three that were continuing her. Harli's eyes softened and she swallowed a stubborn lump down her throat, laying her head back on the soft ground. Her bright green eyes narrowed up at the carefree sky above her. The snarls made her shiver with guilt and fear as she knew the undead were closing in on her fast. But she didn't care anymore; she was tired of running. Harli was alone in the world and she would die alone. No family, no friends, and no life, once more. Her stomach lurched at a violent surge of pain in her chest, her vision growing blurry as the shock began to claim her conscious state. Harli had wished that she saved that last bullet in chamber of her gun to spare herself anymore unwanted agony. She felt tears well up in her eyes and the muscles in her neck tense up, one of the infected letting out a triumphant cry upon gripping Harli's leg with cold fingers.

As her mind fell, she heard a faint gun shot and a pair of unfamiliar voices crowd around her.

"Glenn! Go see if she's alright!"

A man shouted while running up with his gun blazing, the undead drawing closer the Harli lying on the ground. With their heads in his sights, he fired consecutively and blew out their brains, only missing one lucky corpse. Glenn rose his shotguns barrel and pulled the heavy trigger, the thick spray of numerous hot beads of lead piercing the corpses face and knocking it to the ground. Glenn knelt down next to Harli, observing her pain riddled demeanor,

"She got any bite marks?" Glenn looked over to see his group member, Rick, kneeling down next to her on the opposite side. Glenn shook his head,

"No, not that I can see. She's got this nasty wound in her shoulder though. It's bleeding pretty badly."

"That's gonna be a nasty infection if it goes untreated for too much longer." Rick observed the thick piece of lumber sticking out of her soft skin, his fingers shaking in anticipation to pull it out

"Hey, hey can you hear me?" Glenn asked as he gripped her uninjured shoulder, shaking her softly. She didn't open her eyes and her muscles didn't bother to flinch under his touch. He checked her pulse and looked up at Rick,

"She's still alive, but unconscious, probably from shock or something."

"Let's get that stick out of her shoulder and get her back to camp... we'll let the women take care of her for now."

Glenn hesitantly grabbed at the stick and pulled at it, hearing the slippery sound of it moving in her skin. It refused to come out without a fight. Rick huffed and took over, grabbing the stick and yanking it out with a hard pull. Glenn flinched at the grotesque sound of it exiting her skin and watched it hit the ground once Rick tossed it to the side. Rick grabbed one of Harli's arms and Glenn followed his lead grabbing the other and wrapping it around his neck.

The two pulled her up and dragged her along with them through the forest. They had trouble with her dead weight, but managed to make it through the shrubbery without too many problems. They hoisted her up a hill, over a couple logs, and across the deer trails they used to keep track of their whereabouts. They weren't too far from their camp and hearing the gunshots they fired off to save the woman probably made them uneasy.

"Finally..." Glenn sighed through his teeth as his shoulders began to ache. He saw the camp only a few yards away through the diminishing shrubbery, tents and small fire pits greeting them both as they exited the forest. Soon, the many eyes of the rest of their surviving group all fell upon them. Both curiosity and fear mixed together in their eyes at the sight of the unfamiliar woman being dragged into their camp.

"Are you two alright? We heard gunshots." Rick's wife, Lori, asked frantically as they two stopped next to the Winnebago. Her eyes searched for any type of wounds on her husband,

"Just fine, Lori. We need to get this girl in the Winnebago, somewhere more comfortable. She's wounded."

"Who is she?"

"We don't know. Glenn and I were out on our shift and found her unconscious with a bunch of Walkers after her." Rick stated, shifting Harli's arm around her shoulder as it began to slip on his sweaty neck. Lori stared at Harli with disbelief in her eyes,

"Walkers were after her? How do you know she's not bit and going to turn into one of those things!?" Shane, Rick's right hand man, walked up with obvious annoyance while pointing at Harli. He stared at Rick hard with anger and couldn't believe he had brought an outsider to their camp that had recently had contact with Walkers. Carol walked up with Andrea and Amy, putting her hand on Lori's shoulder,

"Let's take her and get her cleaned up. She doesn't deserve to be miserable like this." Lori nodded at Andrea, giving Rick once last glance. Andrea took Harli's arm from Rick and Glenn helped carry Harli's limp body into the Winnebago. They set her down on a laid out couch in the back, Lori and Carol retrieving their medical supplies.

Outside, Shane looked over at Rick with his hands on his hips, "What the hell do you think you're doin'? What if that's girls bit? You can't just walk around bringin' strays back to camp like little puppy dogs! We got too many people to protect as it is!"

"You think I don't know that? I couldn't just leave her out there... she was helpless! She doesn't have bites on her; me and Glenn looked her over and didn't see any." Rick defended with boring eyes and watched Shane stare at him with disappointment. The deputy only shook his head and walked away, not saying another word to Rick.

Harli felt warmth. Warmth around her body and a soothing feeling that there wasn't a care in the world. Moving her arms and hands, she felt a soft fabric lying over her body. Slowly, her eyes opened and for a moment all she could see was slight darkness. But it wasn't completely black around her. She saw flickering lights and moved her head up, seeing a warm orange in the window above her. Suddenly realizing she wasn't lying in the woods cold and miserable, she stared up at the ceiling of wherever she was in disbelief. Maybe she was dead?

As she jolted upwards, she gasped and grabbed onto her shoulder. Her teeth clenched together tightly and a groan slithered through them, her eyes managing to open to make a better vision of her new surroundings. Harli's eyes glazed over the small room, seeing a couch-like bed keeping her comfortable and new clothes keeping her warm. Pulling the collar of her shirt open, she noticed large bandages wrapping around her shoulder and stretching halfway down to her arm. A glass of water quickly caught her eye and her fingers grabbed it enviously, swigging the cold liquid down in three large gulps. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked out the window, seeing simultaneous fires and people crowding around the darkness. Her eyes widened in disbelief at the sight she beheld.

There were people outside and they were people that were _alive_.

She wasn't dead.

As Harli stood to her feet, a sudden wave of vertigo made her body wobble and her hand grip onto a shabby wall. She shook her head and walked looked down, her toe bumping into a hard object on the ground. Her boots stared up at her from the side of the bed and she slipped her feet in them loosely, heading towards to the door while keeping herself steady with the walls around her. As she opened the door, she failed to notice that the steps down to the ground weren't set up for human traffic. Harli's foot fell out from under her and her body met with the hard ground, a huff escaping her mouth hastily. She groaned and struggled to pick herself up, almost freezing when she heard footsteps next to her. Looking up to see who was approaching, one man with a scruffy face knelt down next to her,

"Are you alright? You shouldn't be up and walking around yet." His kind, southern voice asked and Harli nodded, taking a much needed breath,

"Yeah... I'm fine…" Harli felt his hand grip her arm firmly, yet soft, as he helped lift her up to her feet. The two men walked her over and set up a chair, sitting her down next to the comfort of the fire. Her skin soaked into warmth of the low inferno and kept the cold night air at bay.

"So what's your name?" She traced the voice over to an Asiatic boy wearing a baseball cap and staring at her with a slight smile,

"Harli... Harli Waldgrave." Harli replied softly while rubbing her arms, slightly uncomfortable with all the eyes on her.

"Nice to meet you." He smiled heartily and her head suddenly began to throb with a mild headache. Rubbing her head as it began to pound, she could hear her stomach growl with annoyance at the hunger growing in her belly,

"How did I get here?" She asked and she stared around at the many characters of interesting looking people around the fire. Rick looked up from the fire and his blue eyes trailed over at her,

"Glenn and I found you unconscious in the woods. We saved you from the Walkers just in the nick of time." He voiced and Harli looked to Glenn, who smiled once again and softly waved his hand at her. Her eyes trailed back over to Rick,

"Thank you both..."

"Anything to help one of our own." Glenn said and Harli looked back down at the fire, hearing that for a first time in a while. Rick then broke the uncomfortable silence that brewed around their larger campsite,

"I bet you're wonderin' who all us folk are, all us strangers here. My name is Rick Grimes... this is my wife Lori, and my son, Carl." He motioned with his hand. Harli looked over to a dark haired woman with large, blue doe eyes staring at her. She smiled and nodded at Harli, Harli's looked to Rick's son, Carl, who sheepishly put his head against his mother.

"I'm Shane Walsh." The other man, who had come to her side after she had fallen out of the large RV, said while his shotgun lied loyally against his shoulder. A pair of blondes smiled at Harli welcomingly,

"My name's Andrea and this is my sister Amy," Amy smiled and waved at Harli. Harli took notice to Amy's appearance, quickly noting her young age. A friendly black male, with a shaved head, manned a shovel to keep the fire at bay,

"I'm T-Dog."

"And I'm Dale." Harli looked into Dale's dark eyes, seeing the wise and untold secrets in them as they sparkled in the firelight. He was the oldest out of the bunch and a scraggly, white and grey beard occupied his face. She looked back at Shane, who began to speak,

"That over there is Ed, Carol... their daughter Sophia. Morales and his family are down at that campsite. And Daryl's out huntin'…" His voice trailed off as his hand returned to his lap, his head shaking slightly. Harli looked up and around the camp, eyeing the large empty space behind the Winnebago,

"So where are we, exactly?" Harli asked curiously, tossing a quick glance over her shoulder at the other campsites of people. Dale looked over at her,

"We're about eight miles outside Atlanta. We're resting right on top of a rock quarry at the moment." Harli nodded at him and her gaze fell back onto the fire,

"I just came from the city." She said, causing Glenn to look over at her,

"That place is a living nightmare. I'm surprised you made it out alive."

"Yeah, me too." Harli looked over at him, rubbing her hands together. Glenn stared at her with curiosity,

"But when we found you unconscious, what was it from?"

"I had been running from the city nonstop… the infected kept following my blood trail and scent. I just couldn't get away from them. They have noses like wolves."

"So you led them up here?" Shane asked accusingly with nothing but a defensive tone. She looked over at him, rubbing her head,

"No… I mean I it's not like I knew your group was up here… if I did I would've ran straight in a different direction."

"Then that means you could've just led-"

"Shane, knock it off." Rick warned and stared over at him. Shane looked back at his friend, his jaw clenched tightly with annoyance. Shane stood up and left the warmth of the fire, grabbing his gun and climbing the ladder to the top of the Winnebago.

"Sorry… he can be a bit misleading sometimes." Rick apologized for his partner and Harli shook her head,

"It's alright. My dad was a bit like him, so I'm used to it." There was a tense silence for a few moments among the large group of survivors. Andrea then took that as her cue to slap her hands on her legs, lifting herself from her chair,

"Well, me and Amy are gonna retire for the night." She looked down at Amy motherly and Amy rolled her eyes with a sigh, standing up as Andrea already began to walk away,

"Goodnight everyone."

Everyone in the circle around the fire said their goodbyes as each began to retire for the night,

"Come on Carl, Rick, we should start getting to bed, too." Lori said, standing up and staring down at her husband and child. Carl stood up and began to walk to his tent and Lori's eyes moved over to Harli,

"Andrea and I put up an extra tent for you over next to the Winnebago." Harli looked up at her with a soft smile,

"Thank you for being so hospitable."

"Anything to help one of our own." Rick repeated once again as he got up and followed after Lori to their designated tent.

Harli sat over the fire and watched the flames flicker back and forth for a while, observing its dying flames diminish later into the night.

The next morning, Harli woke up feeling better than she had in days. She had stayed up almost four hours after everyone else had retired for the night. In a sense, she felt groggy but still felt refreshed. _'It feels nice… knowing that I can be safe for once…'_ She sat up and stretched her aching arms, flinching from the pain of her shoulder biting back at her. Finding her boots and tying them up, Harli put on a fresh pair of pants and a shirt. The tent door unzipped under the influence of her fingers and she stepped out into the fresh morning air, feeling a bit wobbly. The cool air bit at her skin and caused a shiver to roll down her spine. The other survivors were meandering around camp, performing the daily duties that needed to be done. Harli walked over by Carol, who took notice that she was up and moving,

"Good morning…" Carol said, folding clothes on a large table. Harli walked up and stood across from her, staring into Carol's meek blue eyes,

"Good morning…. Carol?" Carol nodded with a slight smile as Harli got her name right. She handed Harli a handful of clothes,

"Here you are… I washed them after we cleaned you up. I figured they could use a good washing. I got all the blood stains out." Harli took them and looked down at them, rubbing her fingers across the familiar clothes she had worn the day before. She then looked back up at Carol, who continued to fold clothes,

"Thank you very much… I appreciate your help, especially with patching me up." Carol seemed to hide her face slightly with the shake of her head,

"It… it was nothing I was just doing my job." Carol said and brushed off the friendly acknowledgment. Harli put her clothes down on the board and grabbed a shirt, beginning to fold it. Carol put her hand out and stopped Harli,

"N-no, no, no Harli it's-" Harli grabbed Carol's hand softly and slid Carol's hand off hers and back down on the clothing,

"It's ok. It's the least I can do for you helping me." Carol's lips drew into a thin line and she pulled her hand back, staring at the clothing. A small smile brewed on Harli's face,

"If I'm going to be allowed to stay… then I'm going to have to do my fair share of the work. Am I right?" She asked and Carol grabbed some pants, beginning to fold them,

"Thank you…"

Harli heard the engine of a vehicle getting louder and looked up to see Shane driving crazily up towards camp. He jumped out of his jeep and a few of the group members ran up to him. He smiled with a triumphant shout,

"Water's here ya'll!"

"You can go help with the water if you want; I'll stay here to finish this up." Carol said with a soft smile. Harli looked over at her questioningly,

"Are you sure?" Carol nodded at her as she finished folding a shirt. Harli left her clothing and Carol to her business while walking up to the jeep,

"Remember to boil before use." Shane said and Harli stopped next to his Jeep, seeing Shane looking at her a bit skeptical. The two stared in a silent showdown,

"I came to help." She offered and watched Shane study her features. He then handed her a bucket with a slight smirk,

"Thanks… just take that bucket over next to the fire so we can get it all boiled and such." Harli nodded and took the large and heavy bucket, handling its weight without a synch. She set the bucket down next to the fire and walked back to the Jeep to retrieve another bucket.

Her skin went numb and she stopped in her tracks when she heard Carl and Sophia screaming of in the forest. Harli dropped her bucket, ignoring the water splashing everywhere as she followed everyone to the scene. Lori and Carol screamed their children's names, their legs moving faster than everyone else's' as they tried to follow the desperate cries. Jaque, Carl, and Sophia came stumbling out of the bushes, Carol and Lori yanking their children into their arms and checking for bite marks. Harli noticed men running into the bushes with their weapons gripped tightly in their hands. She followed after them to find the culprit of the children's fear and then stopped in disbelief at the sight before her.

A Walker hovered over a deer on the ground with a mouth full of intestines in its mouth. Rods in what seemed like arrows stuck out of the deer's body, showing that it wasn't the Walker who had most likely killed it. The Walker saw the ring of fresh food around it and stood up; its jaw gnawing for a fresh kill as it slowly began to get to its feet. It went after Rick first and Rick hit it across the face with the butt of his gun. It stumbled over towards Shane, who had rammed the end of his shotgun into the Walkers head. Rick, Shane, Glenn, T-Dog, Morales, and Dale all pitched in on beating it to death, the Walker lying on the ground and taking every hit to the body carelessly. Finally, Dale swung his axe up over his head and lopped off the Walkers head, everyone watching the dismembered limb rolling across the ground. The body went limp and crashed to the ground motionlessly; everything growing quiet.

"That's the first one we've had up here..." Dale said in disbelief while rubbing his head under the bottom of his hat. Glenn looked at everyone,

"They're running out of food in the city…"

"Wouldn't be the first, Harli did ring a dinner bell yesterday." Shane said gruffly and eyed Harli with an accusing stare. She drew back meekly and her ears caught an alarming sound to the side of her. Everyone turned at the rustling in the bushes and everyone readied their weapons for what was to come.

A burly man stepped out with a crossbow in his hands, ignoring everyone around him and only staring at the deer's ragged body. He had dirty brown hair and a pair of piercing blue eyes set symmetrically on his face. A scowl brewed on his lips as he took notice to the Walkers deceased body, his eyes now moving around the group that stood around and stared at him without a word. His eyes stopped on Harli briefly, his blue eyes narrowing at her unfamiliar face before looking back down at the deer, crawling out of the bushes the rest of the way, "Son of a bitch... this's my deer! Look at it, all gnawed on by this filthy," He began to kick the heartless corpse on the ground as hard as he could, everyone watching solemnly as he did so, "Diseased bearin, motherless…piece of shit!"

"Calm down son, that's not helping." Dale said as he stared at the man's barbaric behavior. He walked up to Dale,

"What do you know bout it old man!? Why don't you take that stupid hat off and go back to _On Golden Pond_?" He glared at Dale before returning to the shambles of what was left of his deer. He scratched the back of his head, circling the deer like a wolf, "Been tracking this deer for miles. I was hopin' to drag it back to camp, cook us up some venison." He then knelt down next to the deer, poking at the infected meat with his large, nine-inch knife, "Hey uh, do you think we can cut around that chewed up part right there?"

"I wouldn't risk it." Shane replied, staring down at the animal with his hands on his hips. The man sighed to himself,

"Damn shame..." He got back to his feet and stared at the circle of people around him while lifting up the cord of squirrels, "Well I got some squirrel. Bout a dozen or so… that'll have to do." A grotesque hiss wallowed through the air and everyone looked down to see the decapitated head of the Walker springing to life. The crossbow wielder snarled at the decapitated, "Oh, come on people, what th' hell!?" He lifted his crossbow, taking the Walkers head in his sights and firing with the pull of the silent trigger, striking the head in its dead brain. "Gotta shoot them in the brain. Don't y'all know nothin'?" He walked past Dale and Harli, heading back towards the camp. Harli watched his body move in an interesting strut and pulled her head over as she felt a hand on her shoulder,

"Let's the fireworks begin…"

"Wait... that's Daryl?" She asked curiously while looking at Dale.

"Yeah… so get ready for the rodeo…" He gave a nod and lazy clamped his fingers around the handle of his axe, following after everyone back towards the campsite. Harli sighed to herself and stepped through the bushes, quickening her pace to catch up with everyone. She could already hear Daryl yelling for his brother,

"Merle! Merle!" Daryl called as he hastily made his way back to camp, his eyes moving around the camp to find the familiar face of his kin. He set his crossbow down and took the string of squirrels off his shoulder, "Get your ass out here! Got us some squirrel!"

"Daryl… slow down a bit. We need to talk."

Daryl stopped in front of the Winnebago and looked over at Shane, narrowing his eyes at the deputy as he and Rick finally caught up to Daryl,

"Bout what?"

"It's bout Merle. There was a problem… in Atlanta." Shane put his hands on his hips and stared the backwoods countryman straight in the eyes. Daryl felt a slight twinge in his chest as he bit down on the inside of his cheek, looking at the ground,

"He dead?" Harli stopped next to Rick and stared at Daryl's blue eyes as they began to water for a mere moment,

"Not sure..." Shane said, looking around to avoid the malicious stair of Daryl's eyes. A nerve of Daryl's snapped and his voice turned angrier,

"Either he is or he ain't!"

"There's no easy way to say this so I'll just say it." Rick said while stepping forward to gain leverage on the situation. Daryl stared at Rick, unfamiliar to him, and leaned in towards him with both anger and slight confusion,

"Who the hell are you?"

"Rick Grimes…"

"Rick Grimes…? There somethin' you wanna tell me!?" Daryl began to pace like an animal again, his hands shaking with anticipation. Everyone began to crowd around just in case Daryl was going to do something stupid.

"Your brother was a danger to us all. He was getting dangerous so I had no choice; I handcuffed him to a piece of pipe on a roof." Rick explained briefly and Harli watched as Daryl's jaw clenched tightly, his eyes turning deadly. He turned around, his blood beginning to boil under the fire of his heart,

"Hold on. Lemme process this…" Daryl paced more and more, back and forth, trying to grasp onto the situation. He huffed and looked back at Rick, "You're sayin…. You handcuffed my brother to a roof!? And you left him there!?"

"Yeah…" Rick nodded under Daryl's loud and incredibly angry shouts. Daryl's mind went blank and clear tears began to well up in his eyes more and more. The fury began to over-boil and it finally exploded in Daryl's chest. Daryl threw the line of squirrels at Rick and Rick dodged them easily, bracing himself to take on the young Dixon. Daryl lunged after Rick, but Shane quickly intervened and shoved Daryl to the dirty ground. Daryl growled and ripped his knife from its sheath, swinging it around towards Rick with nothing but deadly intent. As Rick distracted him, Shane tossed his shotgun to the ground and ran up behind Daryl, putting him in a headlock. Rick leaned in towards Daryl in whispered a few inaudible words to him, Daryl gripping at Shane's strong arm,

"Choke hold's illegal!" Daryl continued to thrash and struggle against Shane's arm, not being able to pry it from the hold around his throat, "You bastards let me go!"

"Just let him go, Shane. This isn't going to help the situation."

Harli attempted to mediate and to her surprise, it worked. Shane stared at her for a moment, as well as Daryl, and then finally let him go. Daryl sat down for a moment and panted to try to catch his breath, staring around at the group as they looked down on him. T-Dog stepped up,

"It's not Rick's fault…I had the key. I dropped it."

"Why the hell didn't you pick it up!?" Daryl asked with blatantly and T-Dog tried to avoid his Dixon stare in shame,

"I dropped it down a drain…" T-Dog briefly look at Daryl, who rubbed his face and growled while jumping to his feet.

"If that's supposed to make me feel better, it don't!" Daryl shouted as he stalked past T-Dog. T-Dog turned after him,

"I chained the door with a padlock so the geeks won't get at him!"

"That's at least gotta count for something…" Rick looked over at Daryl after trying to reason with him. Daryl turned while wiping the stray tears from his face with the back of his hand, hoping no one saw them. His voice cracked and he ignored Rick,

"The hell with all ya'll!" He tossed his arm out at them for effect and everyone looked away from him, feeling pity for the younger Daryl Dixon. He turned back to Rick,

"Tell me where he is! So I can go get 'em…" Rick seemed a bit timid for a moment at Daryl's request. Lori looked up at them,

"He'll show you." Everyone stared over at her in a bit of disbelief. Shane then walked up towards Rick and began to argue with him about saving Merle. Lori walked over to Harli with the children's hands in hers, whispering to her with her own request,

"Would you please take the kids away from here while they're doing all this talking?" Harli looked down at Carl and Sophia, who stared sheepishly up at her. Harli swallowed a hard lump and nodded,

"Yeah… sure. Come on you two."

She waved for them to follow and wheeled around on the heel of her boot. The two hesitated to follow after, but Lori gave them a reassuring smile and the two managed to catch up with Harli.

Once at a distance where they could barely hear the conversation taking place, Harli turned around and sat down at a table, the two sitting across from her. Harli hunched over and looked at them, "So do you guys know how to start a fire with two sticks?" Carl and Sophia shook their heads and watched as Harli twiddled her lips and grabbed a couple thick sticks. She handed them to Carl, "Here, I'll show you how just in case you guys ever need to start a fire for the grown-ups."

"Yeah but the grown-ups use lighters and matches." Sophia expressed with a bit of doubt. Harli looked at her for a moment,

"But what if your parents don't have those things? Then they can rely on you for skills they don't have." Harli replied and watched Carl fiddled around with the sticks. He then smiled and looked up at Harli,

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Harli's face then struck realization and she stood to her feet,

"Wait right here, I'm going to go get something." Harli turned and jogged over to her tent, yanking open the door flap. She grabbed her backpack and pulled it out with her, walking back to Carl and Sophia. They watched her curiously as she rummaged through her backpack upon sitting back down with them. Harli looked up with a smile at their faces as she pulled out two lollipops in her hand. The two children's faces lit up as if the world was restored to normal. Harli handed them the suckers and they ripped off the wrappers greedily, putting them in their mouths. Harli smirked to herself; at least there was one way to deal with kids.

"So where do you come from, Harli?" Sophia asked a bit more open with Harli because of her treats. Harli looked over at her while trying to demonstrate starting a fire with two sticks,

"Well, I came from the other side of the city."

"Hey... I did, too." Carl said and Harli smiled with a nod. Carl seemed hesitant to ask the question, "Did… I mean do you have any family?" Harli stopped spinning the stick in her hand and looked at him, then smiled,

"I had a father, but I don't know what happened to him." To distract them from such a depressing subject, Harli noticed a spark and saw a small bit of smoke trickle from the edge of the stick. Carl and Sophia looked down and saw it, amazement spread across their faces,

"Whoa, how'd you do that!?" Carl asked with a smile. Harli smirked,

"Rub those sticks together as fast as you can." Carl heeded her words and began to spin the stick vigorously. The friction from the tip began to get hot and small bits of smoke began to curl out from under the edge. There was a small flicker and a small flame came to life, lighting some leaves on fire,

"No way! I did it!" Just as that happened, Lori walked up and sat down next to Carl. Carl smiled up at his mother, his sucker sticking out like a tumor in his cheek, "Look mom! I started a fire with just these sticks!" Lori smiled, rubbing his shoulder,

"Wow Carl, Good job honey! Did Harli teach you that?" Carl nodded. He turned to Sophia,

"Come on Sophia, you try it!"

Harli stood up and Lori looked at her. Harli smirked a bit and a pointed her thumb over her shoulder, "I'm gonna go see if any of them need help."

"Thank you for looking after them for a bit." Lori nodded, rubbing Carl's head. He was too preoccupied with trying to show Sophia how to start the fire to notice. Harli turned back towards the top of the camp and walked up, stopping next to Dale. He looked over at her,

"So what're they doing? What's the plan?"

"Well… Rick, Daryl, Glenn, and Dog are goin to the city to get Merle and the bag of guns Rick dropped."

"I see…" Harli replied and Dale's face then struck realization. He turned around and grabbed something off the table, turning back to Harli and her eyebrows rose at the familiar object in his hands,

"Here. I cleaned it and everything for you. When the girls were cleanin' you up, I saw it and how dirty it was, thought you might want it back." Harli stared back at herself through the beautiful finish her familiar pistol. She grabbed both it and the leg holster from Dale's other hand, looking back up at him. Dale smiled,

"And your shotgun's in the Winnebago. I was bored and… cleaned that too…" He seemed a bit embarrassed by it. Harli smirked slightly as she strapped her leg holster back on, securing her pistol in it,

"Thanks Dale, I appreciate it."

"No problem. If you need anything at all, just ask me." He patted her shoulder. She nodded,

"Yeah… thanks."

"And don't worry, you and the others will warm up to each other. I see how insecure you are around people and I know you seem like you don't know what to do with yourself." Harli nodded as Dale smirked and walked to the ladder, climbing to his post on top of the Winnebago. She didn't know how to take everything in. She never had anyone depend on her before and everyone was so nice, so hospitable. She was a lone wolf in a pre-apocalyptic era. No one liked her; everyone thought she was weird because she preferred to be on her own. That's how she was raised. But now, she had to make a new life for herself and she knew that it was up to her to make it right.

"Harli." Rick's voice knocked her out of her thoughts and Harli quickly looked over at him,

"Can you go grab Daryl real quick? I gotta finish up over here before we head out."

"Uh…. Yeah sure… where's he at?"

"Last time I saw him, he was headin towards his campsite." Rick turned and pointed Harli in the right direction. Her eyes followed the trail of his finger and nodded,

"Yeah… I'll bring him right up."

"Thanks." Harli nodded back at him as he turned away to help Glenn with the truck. Harli sighed and turned around, beginning her voyage out to the serpents nest. She walked down a small trail and saw Daryl cleaning the bolts of his crossbow from Walker blood. She stopped and sighed internally to herself, a queasy feeling coming up in her stomach. Mentally kicking herself in the ass, she finally stepped forward, stopping feet from him.

"What the hell do you wa-" Daryl stopped mid-sentence, narrowing his eyes in a bit of confusion as he turned halfway on the stump he sat on, "Who the hell are you?" He asked, taking in all of Harli's unfamiliar features. Harli took a breath and tucked some of her dark brown hair behind her ear, avoiding his gaze and feeling incredibly uncomfortable,

"I'm… my names Harli." She voiced with unease and he stared for a moment before speaking,

"Harli? Like the bike Harley?" He asked and she nodded as her green eyes stared over to him. He stood up,

"Where the hell you come from? I ain't seen you round here before and I was only gone for bout a day."

"I uh…. Rick and Glenn found me out in the woods yesterday… unconscious. Walkers were after me." He raised an eyebrow and scoffed,

"Unconscious? I don't see how you ain't dead if Walkers were after ya. But I see you ain't got no bite marks. You must've made them gunshots I was hearin' yesterday, scarin off my deer. Damn, people keep poppin' up round here like a bunch of rabbits. First Grimes, now you?" He said a bit annoyed and Harli crossed her arms, making brief contact with his blue eyes before looking away once again,

"Yeah…. That was me…"

"If you're gonna talk to me make eye contact! The trees sure as hell ain't talkin to ya!" He pointed at his face and raised his voice. Harli looked back over at Daryl, her green eyes began to darken at the sight of him. He sat back down, continuing to clean his arrows,

"So _Harli,_ what the hell you come out here for? Couldn't have been for some friendly conversation." He looked back down at the crossbow bolt in his hand and Harli rubbed her arm,

"No. Actually Rick told me to come get you, said that he's almost ready to go. Glenn and T-Dog, too." Daryl threw his cloth against the side of his tent and stood back up, giving Harli a nasty glare,

"All them pricks can kiss my ass! I don't take orders from them." Daryl stated and grabbed his crossbow, placing the bolts back in their holster. He looked over at Harli, "Man, why you all quiet and such?" Harli shrugged her shoulders,

"I don't know. I guess I don't have much to say." Daryl huffed and shouldered the strap his crossbow, walking up to her,

"Kinda borin dontcha think?" He walked past her and waved his hand for her to follow, "Come on, I don't want you stealin' none of my stuff while I'm gone."

"Why would I want to steal your stuff?"

"I don't know you! You could try to steal my stuff while I'm gone."

"Yeah… stealing squirrels is going to ruin your life and give pleasure to mine." Harli rolled her eyes as she became a bit annoyed at the woodsmen. Daryl turned around, pointing a finger at her,

"Don't give me no lip. Just cuz you're a girl don't mean I gotta be nice to you." He warned and Harli stopped to only stared at him. She wasn't afraid of him, but he sure was rude.

"I wasn't expecting you too. If you're anything like your brother then I want nothing to do with you." Her tone was icy and bit at his ears. He gritted his teeth and raised his hand, making Harli flinch at his sudden actions. He stopped and his lip twitched, watching Harli close her eyes as if waiting for it. It happened many times in her childhood, and she wasn't afraid of another. She heard him scoff,

"Look at you… waitin' to be hit like a dog. If you weren't a girl, I would've just knocked you on your ass."

"Could've done it anyways, I wouldn't have cared. I'm used to it." She walked past him without another word and Daryl narrowed his eyes, watching her walk away from over his shoulder. She walked fast and moved farther and farther away from him with each step she took. Harli walked up to the Winnebago and stopped, crossing her arms. She was a bit irritated by Daryl and his actions but she'd rather just forget about it and move on. He brushed past her and jumped into the back of the van that waited to descend into the depths of the city. Harli looked over at Rick as he talked to Lori and Carl.

The loud horn of the van noisily echoed through the camp and Harli looked over to it, seeing Daryl waving his hand angrily for the rest to join, "Come on! We ain't got all day!"

Rick kissed Lori and Carl and then jumped into the passenger seat of the van. It soon departed, leaving everyone behind once again.


	2. Chapter 2

Harli put her dark brown hair into a ponytail as she walked over near the small fire that burned in the middle of camp. She watched as the men had left a few hours before as they went out their mission to get a bag of guns and retrieve Merle from the rooftop. Andrea, Amy, Jaque, and Carol all were crowded around the back of Ed's car, talking amongst themselves before they left as well. Andrea turned and saw Harli staring blindly into the small fire that flickered before her, sitting by herself and not really doing anything.

"So, what do you think of the new girl?" Andrea looked over at the other girls as they prepared to go wash clothes at the small lake in the quarry. Carol looked over at her for a brief moment, then looked back down at the clothes,

"I think she's nice…"

"She seems a bit odd. Like there's something she's hiding. She doesn't talk much, either." Amy said plainly while staring over at Harli as well. Andrea looked over at her,

"Didn't dad teach you not to judge a book by its cover? She obviously has no family or anything and is probably having a hard time taking all of this in." Amy sighed and nodded at her decade old sister,

"Yeah, I guess you're right…"

"I don't know about you three, but that's another hand we have in helping with chores and protection. She seems like she knows her way around a gun pretty well, or she wouldn't be packing heat with what she's got." Jaque stated, throwing a glance at Harli and eyeing the pistol settled promptly in her leg holster. Andrea looked up,

"Well, why don't we make her feel a bit more comfortable and invite her down to help us wash clothes?" Andrea smiled back at the others. Carol and Amy looked at each other and Amy smiled,

"Yeah, let's do it." Andrea turned around and walked over to where Harli sat, putting her hands on her hips while staring down at the chocolate haired woman,

"Hey Harli, why don't you come help me and the girls with some laundry down at the bottom of the quarry?" Harli heard Andrea next to her and stared up with her bright green eyes curiously. Harli smiled slightly,

"Yeah sure… let me go change my clothes and I'll be right down."

Andrea nodded in agreement and walked back to the back of Ed's car with the other women. Harli stood up and went to her tent, closing the small door behind her. Quickly stripping off the dirty clothes on her small frame, she tossed them next to the door after peeling them off her tan skin. Harli yanked on a fresh pair of clothes: a light brown tank top, deep blue jeans, and her trusty steel-toe boots. She gathered her dirty clothes up in her arms and left the comfort of her tent, strutting over towards the Cherokee where all the women posted themselves. She placed her dirty clothes in the back of the Cherokee and eyed all the women, who stared at her, awkwardly. Ed then walked up behind them, Carol in tow,

"Are ya'll finally ready? I'm sick of sittin' round here waitin for all ya'll to get your shit together." Andrea, Amy, and Jaque all gave him disgusted looks as he glared back at them equally with distaste. He popped a cigarette in his mouth and lit it, motioning for Carol, "Come on; get on it the car so we can get this over with." Carol nodded and hastily got into the passenger seat of her old Cherokee. Ed gave the girl's one last, hateful glance before getting into the driver's seat next to his wife. Amy and Jaque got into the back seats; Andrea and Harli taking post on the tailgate,

"What's his problem?" Harli asked distastefully, crossing her legs as she sat. Andrea hunched over and sighed,

"He's just an asshole. Just as bigger than Daryl and he's a runner up for King Asshole with Merle…" Andrea's bright blue eyes looked over at her. Harli shook her head and rubbed her face,

"Are all the guys in our group like that?" She asked sarcastically and Andrea laughed to herself. They held on to the tailgate as they began to move down the trail,

"It seems that way."

The rocky road made the two girls on the tailgate bounce up and down as they rolled down the steep, rocky trail. They could hear murmurs from the front of the car and they were between Ed and Carol. Some words were threatening and harsh towards the battered woman and all they could hear from Carol's mouth were apologies for nothing she didn't do. Harli began to become sick to her stomach as flashbacks ripped through her mind like a knife against skin. She closed her eyes tightly and held her breath in attempt for them to go away. A soft hand gripped onto her shoulder as the car came to a halt and Harli jumped at the touch, making Andrea pull away,

"Are you okay?" She asked a bit concerned and Harli nodded with reassurance,

"Yeah... sorry this headache just came out of nowhere."

"Well if you still have it when we get back to camp we have some aspirin you can take."

"I'll be fine thanks." Harli jumped off the tailgate and grabbed a large basket of clothing. Hooking the basket under one of her arms, she grabbed a washboard and bucket to begin the task of laundry duty. Hearing splashing in the water, she looked over the water's edge to see Shane and Carl jumping around in the water. Harli dipped the bucket in the water to fill it as much as she could and then sat down on a small stool set up for her by Jaque. All the women took to their work and followed Harli's lead, finally sitting down and scraping the dirty clothes against the washboard. Ed sat against the tailgate, smoking a cigarette and watching the girls intently with his beady, black eyes.

"So Harli, how old are you?" Amy asked as she picked up a basket and put it between her and Andrea. Harli scrubbed some pant legs with a brush, trying to get the bloodstains out as best she could,

"I'm twenty five, going on twenty six. My birthdays in a couple months... I think."

"Ah, well it looks like Amy's the youngest one here." Andrea smiled and looked at Amy, who rolled her eyes and continued to wash a shirt against the ridges of the washboard. Andrea looked at Harli, "What'd you do before everything happened? If you don't mind my asking?" Harli stopped for a moment and wiped the back of her wet hand across her forehead. She took a breath and continued to scrub,

"Well, I finished about a year before everything hit the fan. Didn't have too much time to get a start on my career."

"What'd you go to school for?" Carol asked, stealing brief eye contact with her. Harli smiled,

"I went to school to be a criminal psychologist... or criminology."

"Wow…I've never met a person like that before. You sure must be pretty smart." Amy said, tossing a wet shirt in the empty basket between her and her sister. Andrea and Jaque stood up to retreat the car to get another load. Harli nodded and laughed,

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. I always thought it would be cool to figure out what the hell makes a criminals mind tick. It's interesting on how many different ways the brain can work. I worked in a prison for about 8 months studying the inmates and their behavior." Harli rung out the pants that she finished washing and tossed them in a basket so they could dry later, "I'm not much use in this world we live in now. I guess I'm just lucky I know my way around a gun."

They heard more thrashing in the lake and looked up to see Shane splashing his hands back and forth through the water. Carl was laughing and stirring a small net in the water as he did so, trying to catch something within the mesh. Jaque and Andrea had more baskets of clothing as they walked back to the washers, propping their rumps back down on their stools.

"I'm beginning to question the division of labor here." Jaque set a basket down and eyed the boys playing in the water, "Can someone explain to me how to women wound up doing all the Hattie McDaniel work?"

"The world ended, didn't you get the memo?" Amy smiled and looked up at the slim, dark skinned woman.

"We're women; we're supposed to do all this clean up fanciness around here. The men, all they have to do is sit around and be a bunch of slobs." Harli smiled sarcastically and scrubbed a shirt against the washboard. Carol looked back at Ed, who continued to smoke his cigarette and stare intently at the girls.

"It's just the way it is…" Carol stated, handing Jaque a wet shirt to place in the basket. Andrea looked at her for a moment and sighed, looking back down at her washer.

"Man… what I would give anything to have my old life back. So much easier with appliances, don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem surviving out here and doing it like the old days, but damn, I don't know how people did it." Harli expressed while dipping her shirt back in the depths of the water in the bucket at her feet. Carol looked out into the beautiful, turquoise water and smiled,

"Oh, how I do miss my Maytag."

"I miss my Benz, my sat nav…" Andrea sighed and paused her cleaning for a moment,

"I miss my cat." The girls looked over at Harli questioningly and Harli laughed to herself at the looks on their faces, "Sorry, he was my best friend."

"I miss my coffeemaker… with that dual drip filter and built in grinder, honey…" Jaque said, looking up at the sky with pure lust as she rung out a shirt. The girls laughed and then Amy spoke,

"I miss my computer… and texting…" The younger sister let out a sigh and Andrea stopped, looking at the ground with a sly smile,

"I miss my vibrator…" All the girls looked at her for a moment in disbelief and then they began to laugh hysterically to themselves. Amy covered her mouth embarrassingly,

"Oh my god!" Carol looked back at Ed for a moment to make sure he was at a far enough distance for him not to hear her. She then turned back to the girls, her tone cautiously low,

"Me too…" All the girls seem dumfounded, but they soon laughed louder and harder than when Andrea said it. Harli shook her head with a grin on her face,

"Stupid apocalypse!" Harli couldn't help but keep laughing.

"What's so funny?" Ed asked curiously while walking up behind them, cigarette still in hand. The laughing and smiling was short lived and the girls continued their work.

"Just swapin war stories, Ed!" Andrea called, looking back at Amy and Harli with annoyance. Amy sighed to herself, rolling her eyes at the large man's approach. Harli looked back at Ed, seeing a dark look on his face as he stopped behind them all. There was a tense silence as the girls washed and drips of water returned to their lake mother as clothes were being rung out. Ed sucked on the butt of his cigarette and the awkwardness of the situation got more and more intense. Andrea finally broke the silence,

"Problem, Ed?" She threw the shirt back down in the bucket, spinning around on her stool and staring at him. Ed's face turned darker,

"Nothing that concerns you. You ought to focus on your work! This ain't no comedy club." He stuck the cigarette back in his mouth, a cloud of smoke rolling through his nose. Andrea huffed and looked at the girls, then back up at him. Not taking any more of his shit, she threw her scrub brush in the bucket as the girls continued their work. The tense silence began to grow, making Harli's stomach begin to feel sick once again. Harli saw as Andrea stood up to confront Ed, making Harli throw the clothes she had in her hands back in the bucket,

"Tell you what Ed, you don't like how your laundry is done, you are welcome to pitch in and do it yourself. Here!" She tossed the wet clothing to Ed and it smacked wetly against his chest. He gritted his teeth as he exhaled the smoke from his mouth,

"Ain't my job, little missy!" He threw the heavy shirt back at Andrea and it smacked against the base of her neck. She gasped and continued to stare back at him with disgust. Carol and Harli stood up,

"Andrea, don't!" Carol warned but Andrea kept pushing Ed's buttons,

"What is your job Ed!? Sitting on your ass smoking cigarettes all day?" By this time, Harli was behind Andrea,

"Andrea stop, it's not worth the trouble." Harli grabbed onto Andrea's shoulder and Andrea looked back at her. Ed pestered back at Andrea,

"It sure as hell ain't listenin to some uppity smart mouth bitch, I tell you what…" He flicked his cigarette out of his fingers and Harli watched it fall to the ground. He then looked to Carol with an angry tone, waving his fingers,

"Come on! Let's go!" Like a dog heeding its owners command, Carol stood up and walked over towards her husband meekly. Harli and Amy grabbed her, softly pushing her back away from the angry man. Harli stared back up at Ed,

"I don't think she needs to go anywhere with you, Ed."

"And I say, it's none of your business, come on now!" He motioned for Carol once again and Carol began to push through the barrier of protective arms,

"Carol, you don't have to go, stay here with us, come on." Harli pushed against Carol, trying to talk her out of going with him. She shook her head and pushed away from her grasp and Andrea turned around,

"Carol-"

"Andrea please… please it doesn't matter." Carol pleaded and Harli walked up, standing next to Andrea,

"Hey! Don't think I won't knock you on your ass because you're some college educated cooze, alright?" Andrea gasped at his words and Carol began to push past everyone, now almost to Ed, "Now you come on now, or you're gonna regret it later!"

"So she can show up with fresh bruises later, Ed? Yeah, we've seen them." Jaque glared back at the large man with the upmost disgust and he only scoffed with a smile, making Harli grit her teeth,

"Stay out of this, now come on! Ya'll stay out of our business. You don't want to keep proddin' the bull here, okay?"

"How bout this, Ed? How bout she stays here with us, and you take your fat ass back up to camp, be useless, and just leave us all the hell alone!?"

Harli barked back and glared at Ed with burning green eyes. Ed bit his lip and before Harli knew it, she was face first in the sand, her face throbbing with a searing burn. All the girls gasped and began to thrash with Ed,

"How dare you!" Jaque shouted, running over to Harli and kneeling down next to the hit woman. Harli heard the commotion as she lifted herself up, rubbing her cheek. The muscles locked from the shock of the fist that met with her face and for a moment she couldn't move her jaw. She pulled her hand away from her lips, seeing blood staining her fingers. Briefly forgetting about his presence, Shane came from nowhere and grabbed Ed by the shirt, dragging him across the sand and throwing him to the ground. Andrea knelt down with Jaque, helping Harli up to her feet,

"Are you alright Harli?" She asked and Harli groaned with a slight nod of the head, rubbing her face to try and get feeling back in her skin,

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." She stood up, a bit wobbly from the dizziness in her eyes. She looked over and watched as Shane beat in Ed's face to a bloody pulp; the man's fist flying mercilessly. He then stopped and whispered something to him, grabbing at his face to make sure he was listening. Carol began to grow hysterical and cried even more at the sight of her husband's bloodied demeanor.

"Shane stop!"

"Stop!" The girls shouted at him and Shane threw one last punch at Ed, making sure he stayed down for the count. Shane panted and gave the girls one last look before he stalking off back towards camp, Harli eyeing his bloody and unrelenting fist before his leave. Carol stumbled towards Ed and fell to his side, crying and apologizing to him for nothing at all.

Harli wiped the stray blood from the broken skin on her lip, staring at the light amount of blood that stained the back of her hand. Jaque handed her a wet towel,

"Here… are you sure you're alright, honey? He hit you pretty hard." Jaque helped Harli sit down on the sand and placed the wet towel on her face. It cooled her skin, making Harli close her eyes and dip her head back between her shoulders. She sighed in heavy relief,

"Harli?" Andrea looked down at her and Harli met her gaze, her eyes cloudy,

"We're done with laundry for today, go jump back on the tailgate and rest up. We'll get you back to camp, okay?" Andrea elevated her hand and Harli took it, feeling Andrea tug at her fingers to help her to her feet. Harli stumbled towards the tailgate of the Cherokee, watching as Carol helped Ed up and walk him to the passenger seat of the SUV. _'You deserved it... asshole.'_ Harli growled in her head as she saw Ed's eye stare at her for only a mere moment. Carol glanced at Harli with an apologetic look as she passed by with her husband, carefully placing him in the seat. Andrea and Jaque finished loading up the laundry and Andrea promptly took a seat next to Harli,

"You didn't have to do that, you know." Andrea said and Harli shrugged her shoulders as she heard the engine of the vehicle roar to life,

"I didn't want to see anyone get hurt, besides, I wasn't expecting him to hit me, you know?" She looked at Andrea, who stared at Harli's slowly swelling eye with a hesitant nod,

"Yeah, me neither. I'm surprised he didn't hit me." She laughed softly, causing Harli to smirk slightly,

"Well… you just didn't say the right thing to set him off… but I guess I took the blunder of that situation. He probably would've knocked Carol out if he hit her with what he did to me." Andrea looked at Harli with a raised eyebrow. Harli laughed to herself, "I just didn't want to see Carol get hurt. She's too nice of a woman. She doesn't deserve it."

"Yeah… it's a shame for what Ed does to her. We try to stop it, but that only make things worse." Andrea looked off into the water as they headed up the hill. Harli looked over at her,

"That's not a good thing to do; it'll only fuel the fire. You shouldn't try to get in the middle of their quarrels, but talk to Carol in private about it. Because it Ed knows that you're trying to free his slave, it'll send him off the edge." The shrubbery became thicker as they now started to enter the campsite. Andrea looked back at her with a slightly confused expression,

"Wait… how do you know so much about that?" The car stopped and their bodies lurched slightly from the press of the brakes. Harli gave one last glance at Andrea,

"Experience." She hopped off the tailgate and walked off towards the fire without another word to the woman. Andrea watched her as she walked away, contemplating on what she had meant. Harli sat down across from Carl, who sat next to Lori by the fire. Lori looked over and saw the bruise forming on Harli's face and her expression turned from calm to shocked,

"Hey Harli, guess who made this fire?"

Carl smiled triumphantly, seemingly to look past the bruise forming on Harli's face. Harli smirked, looking up from the fire and staring at him,

"Good job. Show your mom who's boss!" He laughed to himself and finally, his smile faltered once he saw her cheek. His eyebrows knitted together, "Hey Harli, what happened to your face?" He stared curiously at her and Harli smiled, not wanting to tell him the truth,

"I was playin around on the rocks down in the quarry. Slipped and fell, hit my face. You better be more careful when you're down playing in there." She warned and Lori quickly changed the subject,

"Carl, could you run into the tent and go grab a pan, we'll make some food for all of us in that big fire you made!" Lori shook his shoulder and Carl smiled, nodded, and ran off towards the tent. Lori looked over at Harli,

"What really happened to you? That's a pretty nasty bruise." Harli looked over at her and hesitated to speak. Lori briefly noticed Shane walking off into the woods with his gun, most likely going out on a sweep. Her blue eyed gaze quickly turned back to Harli,

"What happened down at the quarry? Shane came stalking into camp like something went wrong. He had blood on his hands." She then was hesitant to ask or even think about it as she leaned in closer towards Harli, "Did he hit you?" Harli looked up in surprise and shook her head defensively,

"No! No... Shane didn't hit me. Me and the other girls got into an intense situation with Ed and…" She trailed off and her fingers lightly grazed over the numb skin on her face. Lori got the gist of what she was trying to say,

"Well maybe you should go lie down for a little bit. That bruise is starting to look pretty nasty and you don't look too well. Looks like you took a round with Tyson." Harli chuckled to herself for what Lori had said.

She heard Amy and Andrea's voices, looking over her shoulder to see that hey had a canoe in their hands, paddles, and fishing poles. She looked back at Lori, and without a word, she stood up and walked to her tent. Harli flipped open the door and stepped inside, sighing at the sight of her comfortable looking bed. She lied down on the soft blankets of her makeshift bed, her head beginning to throb and her tongue sliding over the sweetness of the clot on her lip. She stared up towards the top of the tent as she sighed to herself closing her heavy eyes and feeling a wash of tiredness claim her body. Flashbacks of her child and teen-hood overtook her mind, making her clench her eyes shut in wanting them to go away.

They began to fade as her mind began to grow black with unconsciousness once again. She drifted off to sleep only minutes after lying down, exhausted from her mind betraying her.

**~*o*~**

Harli's eyes slowly opened at the influence of her head pounding like a sledgehammer beating across her face. She leaned up, which only made things worse and she immediately rubbed her forehead to calm her nerves. She pulled her knife from its sheath around her belt and pulled it up to her face, staring at the reflection in the shiny blade. Harli took notice to real damage that had cursed her face courteous of Ed's heavy and hard face. The black bruise stretched from the middle of her cheek all the way up across her eye. It was only slightly swollen, but the cut in her lip seemed what the worst out of it was. It was scabbed; but even looking at it made it hurt and throb with annoying pain. Harli raised her hand and put her fingers to it, instantly pulling away and flinching away from the twinge. She sighed to herself and sheathed her knife back onto her belt; it was nothing compared to what she was used to.

Harli heard a string of familiar voices and moved towards the front of her tent, unzipped the door and peeking out. She saw Andrea and Amy standing around the fire, holding a chain of fish up triumphantly. Morales jumped up, laughing and taking the fish from their hands with a glorious smile. Harli stepped out of her tent and walked over to the group, holding her head in trying to steady herself. Dale walked up, just as she did, with a disturbed look on his face,

"I don't want to alarm anyone…. But…. We may have a problem…" He turned and looked up over the hill. Everyone followed his gaze and stared at Jim, who was shoveling dirt in the silhouetted of the sun. "He's been up there for hours… I don't know what to do." Dale said helplessly, shaking his head and smacking his hands in his thighs. Shane put his hands on his hips and stared at Dale,

"What's he doin up there?" He asked and Dale shrugged, his rifle on his shoulder,

"I-I don't know. He's just up there digging holes, but he won't listen to me, to reason!" Shane returned his dark-eyed gaze back up at Jim,

"Well, let's pay him a visit. Try to figure out what he's doin' and why…" Shane began to stalk down the path leading to Jim's location. The rest of the group followed after him,

"Dear Lord… what the hell happened to ya!?" Dale said as he caught a glimpse of Harli's beautifully damaged face. Harli smiled, which made her jaw hurt,

"Don't worry about it Dale, it's a long story."

"Well… does it hurt at all?" The two began to keep pace with the group and Harli shook her head at Dale,

"No. It looks a lot worse than it hurts."

"Well… whatever happened, be a lot more careful around here. We don't need anyone dying today." Harli nodded at his hospitality,

"Of course, thanks for the concern." Harli looked forward and noticed as the group approached Jim, he failed to notice all of their presence and only continued to dig under the steaming sun. Shane stopped and stared at him for a moment,

"Hey Jim?" Jim didn't stop to acknowledge him, nor did he even answer Shane. With the shovel in his hand, he continued to dig the large hole, "Hey, would you hold up? Just give me a second here, please?" Shane asked nicely, trying to reason with the man the best he could. Jim finally stopped and looked at Shane, then to the rest of the group,

"What do you want?"

"Were all just a little concerned man, that's all…"

"Dale says you've been out here for hours." Morales jumped in and looked worryingly at his friend. Jim glared over at Dale accusingly before moving back to Shane,

"So?"

"So why you diggin'?" Shane asked once more, staring at Jim's dirty and sweaty face. Jim rubbed his mouth with his hand and didn't reply, "What're you uh… heading to China Jim?" Shane joked with a soft laugh and Jim smiled, shrugging his shoulders,

"What does it matter? I'm not hurting anyone." Jim then picked up his shovel and continued to dig at his growing hole. Dale waved his hand in concern,

"Well yeah, except yourself. It's a hundred degrees today! You can't keep this up…" Dale warned and Jim just shoved his shovel back in the ground, his tone bright,

"Sure I can, watch me!" Harli walked up behind Dale, putting one hand on her waist,

"Jim, you're going to pass out from heat exhaustion out here. You're confused, hungry, and thirsty, so just come back to camp with us. We'll help you out." Jim looked at his newer group member for a brief moment, but continued to dig,

"I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me, just continue on with your business." Lori sighed and then walked up past Dale, her hands shoved into the back pockets of her pants,

"Jim, they're not going to say it, so I will… you're scaring people." With those words, Jim stood up and sighed, sticking the shovel in the ground, "You're scaring my son and Carol's daughter…"

"They got nothin' to be scared of!" He said, beginning to lose the soft rhythm of his breath. He then began to wave his hands, "I mean, what the hell people, I'm out here by myself. Why don't all you just go and leave me the hell alone?" He asked as politely as he possibly could at that moment. Shane sighed and looked at Dale, Lori, and Harli as they tried to help in any way possible. He then motioned towards Jim,

"We think you need to take a break, okay? So why don't you go and get yourself in the shade? Some food maybe, I'll tell you what maybe in a little bit I'll come out here and help you myself. Jim, just tell me what it's about…" Shane asked reasonably while Jim ignored him and continued to dig the hole. Shane sighed and tilted his head, "Why don't you just go ahead and give me that shovel?" Jim scoffed and stopped digging,

"Or what?"

"There is no Or _What?..._ I'm asking you. I'm coming to you and I'm asking you, please. I don't want to have to take it from you." Shane expressed in a calm manner. Jim, not believing his words, laughed to himself,

"And if I don't then what? Then you're gonna beat my face in like Ed Peletier, aren't you?" Shane put his face down shamefully and Jim looked at the rest of the group, "Ya'll seen his face, huh? What's left of it!?" He called and then looked at Harli's broken face. His eyes moved back to Shane distrustfully, "And look at poor Harli's pretty little face. Did you do that too, Shane? When she didn't comply with ya?" Shane went to defend himself, as Harli did to, but Jim continued to speak, "See? Now that's what happens when someone crosses you."

"All those matters were different, Jim." Shane's eyes grew blacker and his jaw began to clench impatiently. Jim ignored him and turned back to the ground with his shovel, shoving it back into the ground. Amy then stepped up to defend both parties,

"You weren't there! Ed was out of control. He was hurting his wife and is the one that hit Harli."

"That is their marriage, not his! Harli got into the middle of it and look what happened! Shane ain't the judge and jury. Who voted you king boss, huh?" He then turned back to Shane. Shane's patience began to wear thin as he motioned his hand towards Jim,

"Jim, I'm not here to argue with you, all right? Just give me the shovel, okay?" Shane made a move towards the shovel, but Jim pulled it away from his grasp,

"No, no, no…"

"Just give me the-Jim!" Shane asked and Jim growled, swinging the shovel violently at Shane. Feeling threatened, Shane tackled Jim to the ground, placing him on his stomach,

"You got no right!" Jim shouted repeatedly under the weight of Shane's body. Shane asked him to quiet down and stop what he was doing. Placing him in handcuffs, Shane apprehended Jim and after a few more words to be exchanged, he picked him up and led him back to camp.

**~*o*~**

"Anyway we're goin to be able to stop Jim's head? He seems completely loony." Dale asked and Shane sighed, placing his hands on his hips with the shake of his head. They had tied Jim to a tree in the shade to make sure the coolness of the tree's leaves calmed him somewhat,

"I don't know, maybe he needs to just sit there for a while and get reacquainted with himself."

"He needs water." Harli walked up with a bucket of cold water and a cup. Shane and Dale looked at her, "His brain and heart are working too hard. His blood is thick and he's going to suffer a heat stroke if we don't help him out. Just get him drinkin water, cool his body temperature down, and he should be fine." Harli nodded over towards Jim. Shane looked at her,

"And what if that don't work?"

"It will. I know what I'm talking about. He's already in the shade, so he has some mind of his back." Harli began to walk towards Jim with the bucket and placed the cup in the bucket,

"I'll do it," Shane said, motioning for the bucket from Harli. Harli stopped, looked at her bucket, then handed it to Shane,

"Yeah, sure."

"Hey Harli, mind helping me out here for a few minutes?" Harli looked over to see Morales grabbing a large rock,

"Of course." She nodded and walked after the Latino man. Morales smirked, placing the large rock on top of the highest ring of the fire pit,

"I'm building up the rim so we can have a larger fire and won't be seen from a far distance." He said with confidence and Harli smiled, placing her hands on her hips,

"That's smart, now we all won't freeze at night."

"That and it's going to be better to cook all the fish tonight." She looked over and saw the chain of fish hanging from a tree. She pulled out her knife,

"Need help with those?" She asked with a smile while pointing her knife at the fish. Morales looked at the fish then back at her with a warm smile,

"Knock yourself out. We need to get them cleaned out so we can start cookin them."

"On it…" Harli walked over and grabbed a few fish off the chain, placing them on a pan on one of the set-up tables. She stuck the knife in the belly as she grabbed one, making quick work of them all.


	3. Chapter 3

"Looks like you could use some help! I brought labor." Harli looked up to see Shane walking over with Carl and Sophia, Carol, not far behind them. Harli smirked while finishing up her third fish,

"Sure I wouldn't mind some help. I got about twenty more to go." Harli placed the hollow fish on a rusty pan and Shane, Carl, and Sophia sat across from her, Carol sitting next to Harli. Carol began to wash the fish out in a bucket of water, ridding of any excess blood and guts. Shane pulled out his knife theatrically and grabbed a fish,

"You ready for this?" Shane asked with a smile while looking at Carl, who smiled and nodded eagerly. Shane laughed slightly and stuck the knife in the fish's belly, slicing it open. Carl's nose scrunched as he saw the guts expose themselves to his eyes,

"Ewww…."

"Ew!? Whatchu talkin bout boy!? You gotta gut it before eatin'!" Shane laughed and Harli smiled at them, grabbing another fish to gut it out. Carol stared down at a fish with much grief as she was washing out,

"I'm really sorry about earlier, Harli…." Her lips drew into a thin line with nothing but regret and fault. Harli looked over at her briefly, not too long for risk of cutting herself with her knife,

"It's okay Carol. Nothing to be sorry for." She said and Carol swallowed a hard lump, looking at her from the corner of her eye. She stared at the damage that her husband had caused; the purple and brown coloring of her busted jawline staring back at Carol,

"It really is… I should've just gone with him when he first asked me. Your face wouldn't look like that if-" She felt a hand on hers and then traced it back to Harli's face where a soft smile had situated itself on her lips,

"Carol, don't worry about it. I know you're still going to feel sorry, but I really could care less about what happened. I just didn't want to see him hit you," Carol's eyes grew sadder as she stared at Harli. Harli began to speak in hushed tones, but Shane and the children wouldn't be able to hear because of the ruckus Shane was causing while gutting a fish. He made it seem like the greatest thing in the world, "I know how you feel and what you have been through. All I have to say now is be strong for both yourself and Sophia. Don't let Ed take your life over; there are people that can protect you here and people you can go to for help." Carol looked down at the fish she was washing and stared at the open slit in its small belly. She closed her eyes and dropped her head, over her lap with a small murmur. Harli was going to rub her back, but she didn't want to get fish blood on Carol's clothes, so she bumped her softly with her injured shoulder, "Hey, keep your chin up."

"Thank you…." Carol lifted her face with a soft smile, Harli noticing that Carol's eyes were beginning to water. Not with sadness, but that of thanks and a slight hint of worry. Harli smirked and shook her head,

"No problem."

**~*o*~**

"Hey pass me the fish!"

"No problem,"

"Man, that sure does look good,"

"Mmmm look at that…"

"Man, what a fine dinner!" Shane expressed, laughing and smiling as he dug his fork into the fish situated on his plate. Morales swallowed a large piece of his food,

"Thanks to Carol and Harli! They cleaned most of it and prepared it all for us!"

"Hey!? We helped, too!" Carl defended himself and Sophia, hoping for some acknowledgement. Harli smiled at Carl and gave him and Sophia their recognition,

"Yeah can't give all the credit to me and Carol, Sophia and Carl helped…. And maybe a little bit of Shane too." She laughed and looked over at Shane across from the fire pit. Shane smirked at pointed at her, putting more fish in his mouth. The group began passing around more and more of the fish, not wanting to leave one morsel to escape their hungry mouths. Darkness had been scared away by the fire in front of them and everyone sat down like a hearty family for an evening meal. They laughed, joked, and acted like there was no care in the world; feeling completely safe from the horrific dangers of the world they now lived in. It felt so heavenly for Harli. The group talked about the day's event and what it was like for them before the apocalypse ended the world. How much they hated or loved their jobs, what they did on the weekends with family and friends, and where they wished they could have had a chance to vacation. Harli looked over at Lori and Carl, seeing a slightly stale expression on their faces knowing they were worrying about Rick, as he still hadn't showed up.

Everyone began to laugh once again, including Dale, who finished up his story about why he always stares at his watch every day.

"It's not me, it's Faulkner, William Faulkner. Maybe my bad paraphrasing."

"Faulkner is one of my favorite authors and poets." Everyone looked at Harli, who was cleaning up the rest of her shotgun after finishing her meal. She smiled and looked up from the barrel, "He was such a discreet man and turned to writing as his output of emotion. Such a good way to make a famous statement." As soon as the barrel was clean, she rummaged through a box of shells next to her and loaded the shotgun to the max. Amy then began to stand up and Andrea looked at her,

"Where are you going?"

"I have to pee?" Amy scoffed as she turned to walk towards the Winnebago, "Gee, try to be discreet around here." Everyone began to laugh at her statement and Andrea couldn't help but smile at her little sister, shrugging her shoulders.

"Thanks everyone for such a good meal and hospitality." Harli expressed kindly with a smile, Morales nodded,

"Anything for one of our own." He raised his glass of unidentifiable liquid into the air, "A toast, to the dinner, to great friends, wonderful allies, and the living. May God look over all of you." Everyone put their glasses in the air to the toast and drank immediately after. As everyone lowered their glasses and stared at the fire, their stomachs and hearts lurched at a too-familiar sound.

A blood curdling scream came from the Winnebago and Harli and Andrea turned, seeing a wretched sight before them. A Walker had a mouthful of Amy's arm in its jaws and she continued to scream in horror.

"Walkers!" Harli shouted and got to her feet upon sight, making everyone go on high alert. Walkers began to come from all directions, showing themselves through the shrubbery as their noses picked up the sweet scent of the living. Everyone jumped to their feet quickly, their minds scrambling on what to do in the situation. They began to scream in agony and the children called for their mothers,

"Lori, get him down!" Shane called as he cocked his gun and fired, blowing out two Walkers heads with consecutive gunfire. Harli mentally cursed to herself as she jumped up and aimed, firing at a Walker. Her shoulder throbbed and bit back at her in protest to her shooting, but Harli ignored it as her adrenaline sky rocketed through her veins. She ran forward and fired once more, putting a Walker down, but not killing it, she ran up and rammed the barrel against its head,

"You son of a bitch!" She pulled the trigger and the Walker's head blew apart, blood spattering up against her skin and clothing. Harli swung around as she saw a Walker biting down on another member's neck, hearing the man scream out in pain as the Walker ripped out his veins. Harli blew the Walkers head up with the explosive power of her shotgun, mentally apologizing to the man for not being fast enough. Realizing she only had five bullets in her shotgun, she tossed it to the ground and pulled out her pistol to continue protecting anyone in any way possible. She fired at the numerous Walkers that began to crowd around her, her skin crawling violently at the sound of Carol's voice,

"Sophia! Sophia!"

"Mom!" Sophia screamed back in fear and complete helplessness. Harli looked over and saw Sophia trapped in a circle of Walkers, their arms outstretched for her and closing in fast. Harli reacted quickly before it was too late for the child; she didn't want that blood on her hands. She ran up to the encirclement of Walkers and shot one in the back of the head, watching as its legs fell out from under it. As it fell, she jumped quickly towards Sophia and knelt down, grabbing her with her left arm to keep her safe against her. She picked Sophia up and raised her pistol just as a Walker stumbled up to her, watching as its head cocked back upon her bullets heavy impact. More blood sprayed onto her face and clothing,

"Sophia, close your eyes and don't open them!" Harli felt Sophia bury her face in her neck and the child's heart racing against her shoulder. As Harli tried to find a safe way to get through the large crowd of Walkers, she heard Shane call about to everyone,

"Everyone! To the Winnebago!" Harli took his words into consideration and finally found a safe route through the crowd,

"Sophia!" Carol cried for her child and Harli's arm burned like it had been lit on fire. Harli turned Sophia towards Carol as she finally reached the hysterical mother, Carol grabbing her from Harli's grasp to hold her and never let go again. Harli heard a loud snarl and turned to protect the two as Shane guided them to the Winnebago. There were screams of terror everywhere, making Harli's head hurt as she tried to search for the source of all the screams. She wanted to save everyone but she knew she neither had the bullets or time to try to. She turned her head and looked over, seeing Andrea crouched over Amy while crying and screaming her little sisters name, blood all over her face and hands.

Harli noticed more Walkers crowd around Morales and he swung his baseball bat, trying to keep them all at bay. Upon seeing him alone, Harli ran down and shot a Walker dead where it stood just as it tried to grab at the Latino man. Morales looked at her, blood on his face and nodded in thanks to her quick actions. She nodded back and he hit a Walker over the head with his bat, Harli turning and shooting yet another in the face, the recoil of her heavy pistol making her hand grow numb.

"Come on ya'll! Work your way up here!" Shane called violently, trying to get the last of the survivors to safety. Morales grabbed his wife and she coddled up her children,

"Get to the RV! Go!" His wife and children made a dash for the RV once his wife saw an opening, her children following closely to avoid getting eaten. Morales turned towards Harli, pointing his bat at the Winnebago,

"Get moving! I'll cover you!" Harli nodded and ran towards the Winnebago as quickly as she possibly could. She was then confronted by two more Walkers as they stumbled out of the bushed, Harli pulling her gun up and firing at them with loud shotgun blasts. Out of the corner of her eye she caught rapid movement and as she turned, she noticed Rick, Daryl, T-Dog, and Glenn running into the camp with their guns blazing.

"Come on make your way to the Winnebago!" Harli heard Shane call once again from a distance. Her legs turned to move, but she failed to notice a Walker that had snuck up behind. Grabbing her shoulders, Harli attempted to wheel around to attack but its burly weight crashed down onto her. She felt the hard ground ram up against her back, staring back up into the silver eyes and the gnawing teeth as they tried to grab at her. Harli's forearm pressed against the Walkers neck and her other hand grabbed its jaw as she kept it at bay, it's growling and hissing causing a wave of grotesque breath to wallow over her face.

"Harli!" Lori shouted out upon seeing Harli being slammed to the ground. Shane raised his shotgun to shoot, but didn't fire, "Shoot it Shane!"

"I can't! I'll risk hittin her!"

Harli's shoulder suddenly gave out and she had one arm to its neck, trying to keep its chattering jaws from biting her. She gritted her teeth and her arm began to lower from exhaustion, the Walkers stamina clearly greater than hers. Its virulent breath continued to surge into her nostrils, making her almost pass out from the stench. Hearing Rick's voice and turning her head, she saw the rest of the survivor's safe, including the children. The Walkers growling closed in on her ear and she could practically feel its teeth already grazing against her skin. She waited for it to end. She had done her part to protect the group and all she could, but unfortunately couldn't save everyone. With one last attempt, she yanked her knife out and stabbed it in the neck, feeling the black blood of its jugular dripping out onto her chest. The Walker let out a ghastly cry but only fueled its lust as it began to smell her blood through her shoulders broken stiches.

Just as all Harli's hope and strength seemed to diminish, she felt the intense weight lifting off her tired body. As her green eyes attempted to grasp onto her surroundings, she saw a tall, shadowy figure standing over her and slamming their boot down on the Walkers body. Harli was shocked as she stared at Daryl jumping over her, beating the Walkers head with the butt his shotgun. As Daryl continued his carnage on the Walker, Harli leaned up with her good arm and struggled to get to her feet. Daryl turned around and stared at her, seeing her body caked with both her own blood and the Walkers. His shotgun hung lazily from his fingers and he walked up to her, grabbing her good arm and lifting her to her feet. She was lighter than he thought and Harli seemed a bit surprised he had done so,

"You bit?" He asked, his piercing blue eyes grazing over the sight of her body. Harli shook her head, coughing with a couple pants as she tried to regain her spirits. As the gunfire stopped and Harli turned, she saw the real damage done in the bloodied campsite. Bodies of their once living comrades and the undead lied dormant all over the ground. Andrea still crouched over Amy's ragged, bloody body and Carl was crying in the arms of his father, clearly scared of the situation. She saw Glenn pacing with a fearful look on his face, not believing what had happened in their brief absence. Harli and Daryl walked up to the rest of the group, their eyes exchanging silent glances with everyone who stood next to the Winnebago.

Andrea suddenly became incredibly hysterical. Amy had died in her big sisters arms.

"I remember my dream now… why I dug the holes…" Everyone looked at Jim as he stared around the campsite and the carnage that had just ensued.

**~*o*~**

Harli sat on a log around a dim fire set in one of the smaller campsites, staring into the burning inferno before her. Most of the survivors had gone to sleep, or tried to at least. The scare of the event before them imprinted itself into the minds of everyone in the camp, most likely haunting their looming dreams into the night. The dead bodies of their comrades were dragged up towards the Winnebago so that everyone that slept in tents would have some chance of getting a nights rest. Harli rubbed her face and groaned, her eyes sleepy and her body aching. Forgetting about the bruise on her face, she yanked her hand back and closed her eyes from the throbbing pain of her jaw. Her ears picked up the movement of quiet footsteps and she looked over to see Daryl taking a seat next to her. Feeling a bit edgy in his stern presence, she rubbed her arm and avoided eye contact with him.

"What the hell happened up here?" She heard his raspy voice ask and Harli looked down at the ground,

"I don't know. Just, Walkers came out of nowhere." Daryl had a cigarette in his mouth and a beer in his hand and stared into the fire for a few moments. His blue eyes moved over to her and the shining steel of her pistol caught his eye, causing him to glare back at it,

"Pretty nice piece you got there. What is it?" He asked with a quick nod of his head towards it and Harli's green eyes moved down to her loyal gun in its holster. She hummed in her throat and smiled softly,

"It's a RAP4 Desert Eagle."

"Damn... surprised you still have an arm, that bitch kicks." Daryl said a bit surprised as he looks into the flickering green orbs on her face. Harli nodded and rubbed her wrist, managing to keep eye contact with Daryl,

"Thanks for saving me. I was about to give up on trying to get it off me before you came…" Her eyes moved back to the fire and Daryl narrowed his own, taking the cigarette from his mouth and blowing out the smoke curling out of his lips,

"Why the hell would you wanna give up? You weren't bit or nothin'. Can't just give your life up without a hell of a fight." Harli rubbed her shoulder, Daryl noticing the white gauze peeking out from the cloth of her tanktop,

"My shoulder. It gave out on me and all I had to use was my good arm. I tried to stab it in the head with my knife, but I couldn't raise my arm that high. It was about to fall and the Walker would've for sure bit me, but then you came…" She trailed off while shaking her head, hearing Daryl huff,

"Well that just makes me a damn angel don't it?" Harli smirked and laughed to herself a bit,

"Yeah, I guess so."

"What the happened to your shoulder, anyways? You get shot or somethin'?" His eyes briefly looked at the wound and then back up to her face. Harli looked down at it as her fingers traced over the gauze,

"You're gonna laugh,"

"So? Tell me." Harli looked at the ground and chuckled to herself as Daryl still wanted to know about it. She sighed,

"I fell down a hill and a stick got lodged in it. It happened right before Rick and Glenn found me." She heard Daryl huff in amusement and she looked over at him, watching as he shook his head,

"One clumsy woman." He put the rim of the bottle of stale beer to his mouth and took a few large drinks. Harli sighed and looked back into the fire, a bit hesitant to ask her question,

"…So, you find you brother?" Daryl's eyes fell to the ground, making Harli feel bad once she watched his head shake,

"No. Found his hand though." He looked over at her and her brow raised up on her forehead,

"His hand?"

"Yeah. He had a hand saw, but it was too dull to cut through the chains of the cuffs, so he sawed his hand off. A bit ironic that there was a _hand_ saw just sittin there starin' him in the face while he was up there." Harli rubbed her wrists upon feeling an annoying twinge in them at the thought of cutting off her own hand. She mentally put herself in that situation and whether or not she could really do that to herself,

"I'm sorry. It must've been hard to know you went through all that trouble to go get him and all you found was his hand." Daryl shifted his weight on the log and leaned forward, throwing whatever was left of his cigarette in the fire,

"Ain't no big deal. I'll find him eventually; he's a tough son of a bitch." Harli smirked at the confidence he seemed to have in his bigger brother,

"Well that's good to know. But what do you think he'll do if he comes back to camp?"

"He'll bring a vengeance, that's for sure; it'll be hell on earth all over again." Daryl eyeballed her as she rubbed her face once again. He narrowed his eyes and wondered why every few minutes she would rub her jaw. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, "Hey," Harli looked over at him and saw the curious look across his face. She clasped her hands together between her knees,

"What?"

"About earlier when I said I would've knocked you on your ass if you weren't a girl, what did you mean by, you were used to it? You a fighter or somethin'?" He asked and Harli's eyes dropped as she sighed. She felt uncomfortable about the subject, but she wanted to at least reveal a bit about herself to someone, even if that person was none other than Daryl Dixon.

"No… uh…" She rubbed the back of her neck and felt his eyes on her, knowing he was eager to find out what it was. She gathered up the courage, "My dad, he was an abusive alcoholic after my mom died a while back. When he'd get angry he'd take it out on me." Daryl's eyebrows knitted together,

"So he was an asshole that beat his kid?" Harli nodded back at him and stared into the fire, losing herself in her thoughts,

"Most of the time he'd get so washed, he'd seek me out and blame everything on me. Sometimes it would be a few slaps, kicks, and throw me around the room. Other times, he'd knock me out and I'd wake up with all kinds of cuts and bruises the next morning." Daryl huffed and shook his head, Harli staring over at him as he looked at the fire,

"How pathetic." She sighed internally and played with a stick now in her fingers, drawing random figures in the dirt. She thought he was calling her pathetic, "Any man, if he's even a man at all, that raises his hand to a woman is nothing but a pathetic piece of shit." Harli didn't expect those words to come out of his mouth and a small smile formed on her lips,

"I didn't expect words like that to come from your mouth,"

"I may be an asshole but I know what and what not to respect, even raising your hand to a woman. Especially that pig, Ed." Harli chuckled under her breath and Daryl narrowed his eyes accusingly as he thought she was laughing at him,

"Funny you should mention him."

"Why?" Daryl huffed, looking over at her. He noticed her bright green eyes flickering along with the red and oranges flames of the fiery inferno keeping them warm. She turned her face and showed him the damage on her jawline. Daryl's eyes widened in surprise, "God damn… what the hell you do to set a big guy like him off like that?"

"He was gonna hurt Carol, so I stepped in to try and stop him." She explained and Daryl scoffed while shaking his head in slight annoyance. Harli looked back over at him,

"What?"

"You sure like to go out of your way to help strangers." Harli looked up at the dark sky, seeing the sparkling stars flickering about like the fire. She let out a deep sigh,

"I don't really look at them like strangers anymore even if it's only been a couple days. I look at them like fellow survivors...they're people, just like you and me, and friends that take care of each other. Rick and Glenn went out of their way to save my life when I was just Walker bait in the middle of the woods. They could've easily ignored my gunshots and left me be... but they didn't. That's why I feel I must help in any way I can." Harli looked back down at Daryl, who only stared at her with curiosity and wonder clearly written across his face, "And you too. You could've just easily ignored me and left me for dead. So why didn't you?"

"That's a stupid question." He huffed while trying to avoid giving an answer while looking at the fire. Harli raised an eyebrow,

"Is it?" Daryl found himself looking back at her oddly colored eyes. It had been such a long time since he had such a deep and friendly conversation with someone and it felt nice to him. He leaned back,

"Everyone deserves a fair chance... sometimes more than others." Harli chuckled and nodded her head, smiling back at him at the slight confusion on his face, "What's so funny?"

"You're a good guy at heart, Daryl. I can see it in those blue eyes of yours. You're really not all that bad. I thought I wasn't going to like you because of your attitude... but I guess you proved me wrong." Daryl seemed a bit taken by her words and didn't really have much to say in reply. He could feel from the vibes of the other group members that none of them really cared much for him. But it was different with her; she didn't really seem to care much about his asshole-nature and looked past that, other than the rest of the group. He watched her stand up and grab the beer from his hand, put the rim to her mouth, and chug whatever was left in the bottle. As her throat throbbed with the alcohol rolling down her throat, she leaned down and tossed it in the fire. She stepped over the log and put her hand on his shoulder while she moved to leave,

"You should try to get some sleep; we have a lot of work to do in the morning."


	4. Chapter 4

Harli took a deep breath and opened her eyes, staring at the bright blue sky through the mesh netting at the top of her tent. She took in a much needed deep breath as her green eyes looked into the deep pools of blue. She had only gotten a few hours of sleep, but she was so awake, so refreshed, it bothered her a bit. During her slumber, she had no dreams, no nightmares, and her mind only stayed completely blank through her hours of sleep. Sitting up, she stared at her guns that lied beside her and noticed that her shotgun was particularly dirtier than the pistol lying beside it. Her eyes narrowed at the dirtiness of her trusty companion's steel, wondering how exactly it got that way. As she slid her hand up the right side of her face, a sudden burst of pain crushed the nerves of her jaw and Harli yanked her hand away. Sighing, she pulled on a black tank top and jeans to ready for the hot day that awaited both her and the rest of the survivors in the camp. Harli slipped on her boots and unzipped her tent, seeing many of the others meandering around camp with weapons and supplies in their hands. She looked over and saw Andrea crouched over Amy; Harli's eyebrows knitted together in slight confusion at the woman.

Standing up, Harli's visions suddenly picked up the shocking sight bodies lying all over camp, some that have been moved, others still waiting to be touched. Her mind suddenly flipped into realization at the situation: she had completely forgotten about the night before. The Walkers ravaging the camp, her coming to Sophia's rescue, and the people she had tried so desperately to protect. She even forgot about her campfire chat with Daryl only hours before her wake.

"Hey Harli, you sleep well?" She looked over to see Glenn approaching her, his face solemn, but a bit curious. She smiled and walked up to him, meeting him hallway,

"Yeah, it was alright. You feeling okay?" She tilted her head and crossed her arms, staring back at him worryingly. He nodded meekly, but barely showed a smile,

"Yeah… still a bit rattled though…" Glenn looked at her with somewhat of a sad expression.

"I'm sorry." Her gaze fell upon Morales and T-Dog dragging bodies into two different piles on each side of the Winnebago. Glenn watched his two fellow survivors as well, letting out a depressed sigh as he knew he had to get back to work too. Harli smiled and patted his shoulder reassuringly,

"Come on Glenn, we have work to do."

"You just woke up though. It'd be a good idea for you to have some breakfast first before helping with all this hard labor." Harli walked past him and shook her head, meeting his gaze briefly,

"Don't worry about me; I don't have time for that now. The sooner we get this done, the better it'll be for all of us."

"A-are you sure? You're still kind of wounded, you'll need the energy."

"Yeah Glenn, like I said, don't worry about me." Harli said as she grabbed a strange Walker by the boot, attempting to drag it across the ground. Glenn sighed and walked up, grabbing its other boot as the two smaller survivors struggled to lift it. But gathering all their strength, they had managed to carry it to the burn pile.

The heat of the day finally began to rise.

Over and over bodies were carried to their designated piles; Walkers went to the burn pile and people that were members of the group were sent over at the other side of the Winnebago to be taken to the graves that Jim had dug. Harli marched to the next body she spotted and looked down at the familiarity of the mangled, chewed up corpse. It was Ed, Carol's husband and Sophia's father. Half his face was eaten off and his entire chest and stomach were mashed and missed. Harli closed her eyes and tried to pull the thoughts out of her head, her stomach turning at the sight of the carnage. _He deserved to die._ Harli shook her head of all the ill thoughts in her head and looked down, grabbing onto his arms and readying her legs. She yanked and pulled at his wrists, and even though half of him was eaten, he was still very heavy. Biting down on her bottom lip, Harli groaned and heaved what she could, only dragging him a few inches.

Breath formed in the manner of pants as she took a momentary brake to gather her strength. Upon doing so, she placed her feet on the ground accordingly and squatted down, getting a good grip on his wrists. With a quick wipe her forehead, she could feel sweat beginning to accumulate all over again in the same place she had wiped. Harli shook her head slightly annoyed and took a deep breath, putting all her strength into this one task that stubbornly sat in front of her. With one last heave, she pulled and pulled the best she could, but Ed's huge body only slid a few more inches. Harli grunted as her feet slipped out under her and her rump slammed heavily against the ground. Arching her back, her spine suddenly became sore,

"You havin trouble?" She looked up to see Daryl glaring down at her with a pick axe dangle over his shoulder. She sighed with a nod to herself as she stood up,

"Only a little bit." Daryl scoffed at her stubbornness and watched as she grabbed onto the wrists once more, making another feeble attempt at moving the corpse. Daryl rolled his eyes and walked around her, grabbing one of the arms with his own thick hand. She was surprised at Daryl's brutal strength as he seemed to drag the body all by himself, only relying on a small amount of Harli's strength to drag Ed along. Finally, the two dropped the body's dead limbs next to the Winnebago and Harli stared at him, awing over his strength, "Thanks," She breathed and Daryl shook his head at her feebleness,

"Yeah, whatever." He brushed past her and walked off to gather up yet another body. Harli sighed and moved over towards Glenn, who was standing by the pile of burning bodies while waiting for Morales to bring the next one. She covered her nose in disgust from the grotesque smell of burning flesh and it made her stomach turn almost upside down.

Harli's eyes then trailed away from the burning pit of bodies and soon found Andrea. Her chest was covered in dry blood and Amy's body lied dormant under her. Andrea stared endlessly at her sister's dead, but angelically serene, face. "Has she been there all night?"

"Yeah, Amy still hasn't turned yet, that's our only concern right now. Andrea won't let anybody near Amy…" Glenn nodded back at Harli and her green eyes narrowed at the two blonde sisters.

"She knows that sooner or later Amy's gonna turn. The group wants to get it over and done with, but, maybe Andrea wants to finish it off herself." Harli's eyes found Glenn again, but he avoided her glare quickly and stared down, his face still solemn,

"Yeah… you're probably right." Glenn turned back around and Harli looked over to see Daryl helping Morales with yet another body. They began to drag it towards herself and Glenn to the Walker pile but Glenn then went on high alert,

"H-hey, what're you guys doing? This is for geeks, our people go over there!" Glenn pointed in the opposite direction to the pile of familiar bodies waiting to get buried. Morales and Daryl continued to ignore him and dragged the body closer to the fire,

"What's the difference? They're all infected!" Daryl said through the struggle of his clenched teeth. Glenn began to become slightly more hysterical at the thought of one of their own being burned,

"Our people go in that row over there!" He shouted, finally stopping Daryl and Morales as they dropped the body and stared at Glenn, "We don't burn them! We bury them…. Understand?" He stared hard at the two men, not wanting to give up on his fallen comrade. Morales and Daryl exchanged contact with one another and then grabbed the body once again with no more words to spare. Glenn pointed once again to make himself clear, "Our people go in that row over there!" Daryl and Morales dragged the body back over towards the familiar's body pile like a couple loyal dogs. Harli looked over at Glenn,

"You tell them Glenn." He smiled childishly back at Harli and Daryl's voice echoed through their ears,

"You reap what you sow!"

"You know what, shut up man!" Morales threw the body down, sick and tired of hearing Daryl's smart ass remarks. Daryl growled and began to walk towards his pick axe,

"Ya'll left my brother for dead! You had this comin'!" He shouted around at everyone watching, stalking off in a different direction. Harli stared at him and shook her head at his unnecessary anger; T-Dog walked over and stood next to Glenn and Harli,

"Man, what's that guy's problem?"

"You mean besides the fact that he's a total ass?" Glenn scoffed while shaking his head, staring at Daryl as he slammed the pick axe down through the head of one of the familiars. Harli placed her hands on her hips with a pout,

"I don't know. He doesn't seem all that bad to me." T-Dog and Glenn stared at her with each raising an eyebrow at her statement. Harli felt their eyes on her and looked over at them, raising her own eyebrow, "What?"

"How can you say that? That's Daryl Dixon, little brother of Merle Dixon, aka the second spawn of Satan." Glenn rose his finger and pointed at Daryl. Harli laughed at Glenn and continued to stare at Daryl as he moved from one body to the next,

"He's just more of a lost, confused puppy, the way I see it. The guy just lost his brother, give him a break."

"Yeah, but that doesn't give him the right to go round tryin' to be all macho and crude to everyone." T-Dog stole a glance off Daryl once more. Harli brought her gaze back over to the two men,

"Ever here that saying there's more than meets the eye?"

"A Walker bit Jim!" At the sound of those words, everyone went on high alert and their eyes searched desperately for Jim's familiar, bearded face. As if Jim were a scrap of meat, everyone quickly surrounded him like a pack of wolves on sight. Jim twisted and turned, staring around at the accusing eyes upon his features,

"I'm okay… I'm okay…" He tried to comfort himself and others around him in a hushed tone that brushed through his lips. Daryl paced forward and pointed at him,

"Show it to us… show it to us!" Jim swiftly turned and grabbed a shovel on the ground, swinging it in his hands to keep them all at bay. Everyone began to walk towards him and he stepped back as they did.

"Easy Jim!"

"Jim Stop!"

"Jim, put it down, put it down!" Shane and Rick tried to negotiate with the man, their hands raised to show that they didn't intend any ill-will. T-Dog swiftly ran up behind Jim and grabbed his arms, disabling him from attempting to harm anyone. Daryl ran up and lifted his shirt, showing the red, bleeding bite wound on Jim's pale stomach. Gasps and wide eyes all gaped at Jim upon the sight of the bite wound, Jim continuing to assure himself he was alright as T-Dog finally let him go.

Harli put a hand to her mouth and Glenn put his hands to his head, "Oh shit."

"I say we put a pickaxe in his head… and the dead girls and be done with it." Daryl said while his body swayed anxiously among the small encirclement of survivors. Shane gritted his teeth and looked up,

"Is that what'd you want? For you?" With no doubt in his mind, Daryl nodded slightly,

"Yeah and I'd thank you while you did it." Harli was leaning up against the Winnebago by Jim, staring at the group as they spoke amongst each other. She could hear the hushed debating amongst them and then looked down at Jim, seeing his worried eyes staring off into space.

"I'm surprised you're not trying to run away or kill me." He said once feeling her green eyes staring down at him,

"I'm not like that. Besides, you're not a Walker; you're living and breathing just as we are."

"Yeah… we'll see how long that lasts." Jim said doubtfully with a soft scoff,

"Just have some faith, Jim. By the means of their conversation, you might be able to get cured." She stated while nodding towards the group. He looked up at her with a doubtful glare,

"How can you have hope, when you have nothing left of this world? Nothing left to life as we know it?" His words slithered through Harli's ears and she found herself noticing Daryl glancing over his shoulder at them. Harli sighed,

"I don't know, Jim. All I know is that I'm going to do whatever I can in my power to make both my life, and those around me, worthwhile." Harli's body alerted when she saw Daryl moving towards Jim with nothing but the intent to kill,

"Someone needs to have some balls to take care of this damn problem!" Daryl shouted while raising his pickaxe over his head and without a second thought, Harli stepped in front of Jim defensively. Daryl halted upon seeing her moving in front of him and his blue eyes stared into her odd green eyes. Rick ran up behind Daryl with a shout and pointed his gun at the back of Daryl's head. Shane stepped in front of both Harli and Jim, making sure Daryl didn't have any more thoughts about releasing the pickaxe from over his shoulder. Daryl's eyes continued to stare into Harli's,

"We don't kill the living…" Rick voiced and Daryl broke his dazing gaze with Harli, turning his head over his shoulder while lowering the pickaxe,

"That's funny… coming from the man who just put a gun to my head…"

"We may disagree on some things, but not on this." Harli walked up and snatched the pickaxe from Daryl's grasp,

"Hey!?" He barked and whirled back around to face her stubborn expression. Harli held it in her hand,

"You're dangerous with this thing."

"Listen here you-!" Shane put his arm out, pushing against Daryl's chest as he advanced towards Harli. Daryl looked at him and Shane shook his head,

"Don't think about it. Go on now…" He nodded off past the crossbow wielder and Daryl growled, stalking off past Harli and bumping into her faulty shoulder. She grunted softly and rubbed her shoulder, following Daryl's trail over her shoulder to see him trudging towards his truck. Shaking her head, she turned back to see Rick helping Jim up and taking him into the Winnebago.

"That was a pretty brave deed, takin' that pickaxe 'way from him like it was candy from a baby." Shane smirked at her and Harli returned her own, shoving the head of the pickaxe in the ground. She then sat down where Jim was before,

"He's just like a big teddy bear if you look at it that way." Shane huffed while looking at her, doubtful of such a thing. He then laughed to himself and continued to smile, stealing an irritated glance from Daryl, then back to Harli,

"Mighty fine words comin' from a little girl like you. Watch your mouth round him; you don't want a second bruise on that face of yours." Harli listened to Shane as she stared at Daryl, shaking her head

"Nah, I don't think he'll hit me. He'd probably stab me over and over in his head, but nothing physical."

"That's right, you don't _think_ he will." Shane rolled his shoulder and pushed off the side of the Winnebago, walking off. Harli heard hushed tones and looked over, seeing Dale kneeling down next to Andrea while talking to her. Harli's gaze fell to the ground, debating whether or not she should go pay her respects to Amy.

She startled at the sound of a hand hitting the side of the Winnebago and immediately looked up to see Daryl's blue eyes glaring down at her with stabbing intent. His jaw moved under the scruff of his skin annoyingly, chewing on the inside of cheek, "Give me back the damn pickaxe. I aint playin no games!"

"And why would I do that? So you can go try to jab it straight into Jim's head? I don't think so." Harli was barely intimidated by Daryl's demands and he scowled back at her,

"I aint playin with you, girl! There's work round here that still needs to be done and I need it!" He watched as Harli stood up, her eyes staring back at the grimacing look on his face. Harli sighed through her nose,

"Well, do you promise not to try and kill anyone round here with every chance you get?" Daryl chewed on his bottom lip and only stared at her, not knowing whether or not he could keep such a promise. In his silence, Harli took it as a "no" and ran her hand through her chocolate colored hair. Finally, she stretched the pickaxe out towards him, Daryl staring down at it slightly confused,

"Go on, take it. You won't get a fight from me." Daryl then yanked the pickaxe from her hands while continuing to stare at her, still surprised she gave it over so easily.

"Thanks." He said both sarcastically and humbly as he moved on past her; this time, not bumping into her.

Amy had turned and Andrea had her chance to kill her.

After the ceremonial burying of the familiars that once inhabited the campsite, the group sat down to a much-needed talk. They all considered the possibilities of the CDC being functional and whether or not it could be a potential safe house for them all. Getting Jim there was their first priority. Shane continued to argue that Fort Benning would be a much better place to try for, but that would leave the problem of tending to Jim and his needs. Rick finally took a vote amongst them all and the CDC was now in their sights upon review. Once packed up and ready to go, Morales confided in Rick as they readied to leave. He and his family were going their separate ways to try to find some family in Pennsylvania. They all wished nothing but good luck to everyone.

Harli sat in the Winnebago, feeling it bounce side to side as it began to roll out on the uneven dirt road with the caravan close behind them. Jim was lying in the back with Jaque while Glenn and Dale sat up front, Glenn manning the map in his hands. Harli watched out the window as the lake in the quarry slowly passed them by, the small ripples in the water waving them goodbye. Her shoulder pressed up against the wall and she let out a tired sigh, her green eyes scanning the scenery of the highway as it began to rush by them, "Do you think the CDC is up and running?" She asked thoughtfully and Glenn looked back at her briefly before returning to the map,

"I sure hope so…" Glenn mumbled more to himself than anyone and Dale looked at him from the driver's seat,

"It's a long shot and a lot has happened in the past couple months. I still think it's there, with people inside, working on what needs to be done for our world."

"Man… what I would give to take a hot shower again…" Glenn rubbed his dirty face with his dirty hand and Harli smiled,

"Just boil some water sometime and make a shower out of a tarp." She said and Glenn looked back at her with a smirk,

"Smartass." Harli laughed to herself and watched a large, untamed field of grass pass them by,

"I learned that in a survivalist class when I was in college. But they never told us to boil water for a hot shower. I guess that'd just be a waste."

"I wouldn't care. I would travel miles to get water to drink and if there was a chance I could take a hot shower."

"I'm sure you would, Glenn." Dale laughed and Harli chuckled along with him under her breath. Glenn's eyes flickered back and forth from the two,

"What? Are you guys saying that I can't do it?" He asked with a pout. Harli only laughed and Dale shook his head with a smile. All three of them then jumped at a loud explosion and the loud hissing following afterwards. A large cloud of smoke curled up over the hood of the Winnebago and rose into the air.

"What the hell was that!?" Glenn shouted, clearly startled by the sudden situation. Harli stood up and saw the steam rising from the front of the Winnebago, her hand gripping the back of the couch. Dale suddenly slammed on his breaks, causing Harli to ram forward into the back of his seat. Dale felt the lurch and looked back, seeing Harli on the ground and slowly getting back to her feet,

"A-are you alright?" He asked worryingly and Harli sat up on her knees, rubbing her head with a small smile,

"Yeah, don't worry about me Dale." As the Winnebago finally stopped, Harli stood up and grabbed her shotgun while staring out the window. She opened the Winnebago door and stepped out just as Rick and Daryl walked up to her,

"What happened?"

"I think the radiator hose blew." Harli said as she looked over the front of the RV, still seeing moving curling up over the front of it. Rick sighed and walked up to the front of the Winnebago with Dale as he stepped out behind Harli. Harli followed after the two, followed by Daryl, T-Dog- and Shane close behind her. Dale opened the grill of the Winnebago and quickly stepped back as more hot smoke blew out,

"Shot again…" Dale sighed. Rick shook his head and stared, placing his hands on his hips,

"Can you jury-rig it?" Dale looked at him and shook his head,

"That's all it's been. It's more ductape than hose. I told you… I needed that hose from the cube van…" He trailed off while looking through the steam to try and see where the problem lied. They all stared at the front of the Winnebago, not knowing exactly what to do at that moment. Jaque then came bursting out of the Winnebago frantically,

"Everyone! It's Jim… I don't think he can take much more of this!" Rick followed after Jaque into the Winnebago to see what was going on with the wounded man. Harli looked over and met Daryl's gaze, giving him a small smile of acknowledgment and looked away uncomfortably.

"Glenn, come help me with this, will ya?" Dale asked politely and Glenn nodded, walking over to the older man's side. Harli moved around to scan their surroundings, making sure there was no threat in their wake. Her green eyes watched as Shane and T-Dog sped off ahead in Shane's Jeep to scout the building that lied ahead. As her eyes drifted around the small roadway, she noticed familiar shrubbery around the trees they had stopped by. Harli curiously began to walk down the road towards the forest,

"Hey Harli! Be careful out there we don't need to be losing anyone!" Harli had hoped she had slipped away unnoticed, but to her dismay, Dale was the one who called after her. Harli waved after them and sighed,

"Get treated like a damn child. I'm almost twenty six years old for God's sake." She knew that she had become more accustomed to their lifestyle and everyone was quite friendly. So she didn't mind that people cared about her whereabouts and health. Harli never got it when she was a child and she was completely indifferent to it. She tried to interact with the people around her as much as she could but sometimes it didn't work in her favor. Harli was odd in a lot of ways. But then her mind flickered to Daryl Dixon. That was really the only one out of the group she hadn't tried to talk to a whole lot. He was either rude or didn't care much about talking to others reasonably and he was just downright hostile. But she knew that he had a good side, Daryl just didn't know how to bring it out.

Harli stepped carefully over logs and through a thicket of bushes as she made way through the woodwork. Her eyes kept a lookout for what exactly she was looking for and finally, she stopped and stared at what stood before her. The white flowers bore their brightness into her eyes with their long, thin petals and yellow tint that airbrushed over the bud. They were living, breathing Georgian White Lillies and Harli had only seen them once in her lifetime. But never did she forget their beauty and the rarity that they held. Softly, she knelt down in the small bed of flowers and picked a couple of the large lilies from the dirt. Only nine were grown in the area and it was one of the rarest native flowers to the state. It was even illegal to pick them from the ground.

Harli put her shotgun on the ground next to her and carefully plucked two more flowers from the earth. She wanted to take one to Carol, Daryl, and Andrea; Carol, for the loss of Ed, Andrea, for the loss of Amy, and Daryl, for the loss of Merle, and one for herself, for finding a group such as Rick's. She cradled the flowers and put them in her backpack carefully, standing back to her feet. Following the trail she walked in from, Harli smiled to herself, knowing that she could bring at least some much needed happiness to the group. As she grew closer to the group on the roadway, a jumble of voices sounded through her ears, causing her to look up. She noticed the group now stood on the hill across from the Winnebago, lying Jim down against a tree. Curiously, she jogged past the Winnebago and walked up the small hill,

"What's going on?" She asked Lori while stopping next to her. Lori looked at Harli with a grim expression,

"We're leaving Jim…."

"What? W-why are we just going to leave him here?" She stole a glance at Jim as Rick offered a small revolver to Jim. Jim shook his head and waved his hand, respectfully declining it.

"He wants us to. He's not going to make it to the CDC. It's his choice that he wants to be left behind; we have no say in what he wants for himself."

"I know… he's suffering." Harli's voice was low and Lori nodded at her in agreement, running her fingers through the hair on Carl's head. Harli let out a defeated sigh while staring at Jim with sadness, seeing his sweaty and painful demeanor worsening with every passing second. Everyone quickly began to say their goodbyes to him.

Harli was the last to walk up to him as everyone walked back down to the Winnebago, one by one. She knelt down in front of him, taking her backpack off and pulling the large slot open. She rummaged her hand down into the bag and looked at the poor man, "You're gonna go to a good place Jim. A place where your family is waiting."

"Yeah… I can't wait for it." Jim said tiredly with a smile. Daryl walked up behind Harli and carefully watched her, seeing that she hadn't taken notice of his presence. He watched her pull out a giant white lily from her backpack, a couple petals on the flower lightly damaged from being carried in a confined space.

"Wha….what is that?" He breathed, slowly becoming dazed and confused. Harli smiled,

"It's a Georgian White Lily…. I picked it for you." Jim lifted his shaky hand slowly and took it from her finger. He smiled and bit back the pain in his side,

"Thank you... Harli."

"Goodbye. Sweet dreams, Jim." Harli stood up and shouldered her backpack, nodding back down at him as he stared aimlessly into the bright white flower. As Harli turned, she stopped with surprise to see Daryl, who stared down at her with his soft blue eyes.

"Ready to go?" His raspy voice asked and Harli nodded, giving him her silent answer. Daryl then turned, walking back down the hill to the more level ground among the roadway. Daryl walked towards his truck and Harli stopped at the door of the Winnebago, watching his arms sway in the notorious Dixon strut. Her lips drew into a thin line,

"Daryl!" She called and quickly ran up behind him, watching as he turned to face her, "Can I ride with you?"

"Why?" He narrowed his eyes curiously, wanting to know why she wanted to ride with him. She only shrugged her shoulders,

"I don't know... just don't feel like riding with the others. Depressing, you know?" He stared at her for a few moments before nodding his head towards his truck,

"Yeah sure... let's go."

The door to the Winnebago opened and Glenn's head popped out, his eyes searching for Harli, "Harli!? Come on we're heading out!" He called upon finally spotting her, waving for her to go into the Winnebago. Harli looked back over her shoulder,

"It's alright, I'm hitching a ride with Daryl!"

"What!?" Glenn asked both confused and surprised. Harli waved off at him and jogged back to Daryl's truck just as he started the old Ford. She yanked open the door and stepped in, leaning her shotgun on the seat in between them. As Harli closed the door once getting completely into the vehicle, Daryl pressed his foot on the gas pedal and moved after the caravan.


	5. Chapter 5

"Here… I got this for you." Harli pulled one of the lilies out of her backpack, brushing off the petals softly with her fingers of any dirt. He looked over and his eyes trailed down at the flower, then back to the road,

"What's it for?" He asked demandingly before chewing on the back of his finger. She stared down at it, stroking the soft, white petals as her eyes narrowed,

"I thought you would like it, for losing Merle…" She heard Daryl scoff and looked over as he chewed on his lip, rubbing the back of his hand across his mouth,

"Kind of a waste." He shot her down and she looked back down at the flower, continuing to stroke the rather large petals,

"I don't think so… have you ever seen a Georgian White Lily?"

"No, never seen any flowers like them. All I know is the Cherokee Rose."

"You haven't seen one? At all?"

"Not until I seen it in your hand. Why so surprised?" Daryl asked and a small smile formed on her cheeks,

"With you being a woods and country man and all I would've thought you would have come across them at some point in your life."

"You thought wrong." Daryl said gruffly and Harli laughed under her breath,

"Yeah. I guess I did." She knew he wasn't much for casual conversation so she tried to find something that he would be interested in talking about. Harli rolled her eyes and stared out the window, watching as trees and fields blew by in a blur as the convoy continued down the road to their destination: The CDC. Her mind twisted and turned in trying to think of something to converse about rather than sitting so uncomfortably in such an awkward silence. Harli mentally groaned to herself and grabbed onto the handle to the window, rolling it down and letting the wind roll through her long hair.

"So'd you really get your name from motorcycles?" She heard Daryl ask with curiosity. Harli shifted her body to a more comfortable position in the uncomfortable seat. Harli rested her elbow on the base of the window and rested her head on her hand,

"Yeah. I was named after Harley Davidson. But instead of an EY they spelt it with just an I."

"Bet your daddy was the one who named you." Daryl said right on the spot and Harli nodded,

"Yeah. My parents said I was conceived on the back of a bike. Gross, I know." She laughed to herself and paused for a moment, looking out the window, "My dad had one for the longest time, even after my mom died. I'd always sneak into the garage to look at it. It looked a lot like the bike you have in the back, but it was shinier and had smaller handlebars. It had a custom paintjob with my last name on the gas tank; I remember every detail of it. One night I was sitting on it, making motorbike sounds, you know? My dad came rushing in, thought someone was trying to steal it. He started yelling at me how I was going to knock it over and break it and how he'd skin me alive if I ever touched it again and sent me to my room." Harli smiled at the memory, twirling a small lock of her chocolate brown hair in between her fingers. As she looked over at Daryl, she noticed a barely visible, crooked smile forming on his lips. It was the only type of smile she had seen on him since they had met,

"Pointless to have a bike and not ride it."

"I know. I always begged my dad to take me just once, only once. But he would tell me that I couldn't handle it and that there was no way I would sit on that bike anymore. I walked into that garage one night to admire it once more, and it was gone…. Turns out he sold it to pay the rent because he wasted his entire paycheck on drugs and alcohol. Such a shame…" Her green eyes looked back out the window disappointingly as her finger brushed up against her cheek. A gust of wind blew through the cab, making her hair dance around her face as she bit down on her bottom lip, playing with it, "I've always wanted to ride one; I never got a chance to."

Daryl looked over at her and went to say something, but he soon saw the vehicle in front of him slow. He looked forward and huffed, pressing his foot on the breaks, "What the hell we slowin for?" The caravan, once again, came to a halt. Daryl slammed his hand on the steering wheel, "We'll never get there by nightfall!"

"Just calm down Sawyer," Harli lifted herself out of the window, sitting on the doorframe in trying to examine the situation. Her eyes found Glenn as he was running off into the bushes rather quick and with haste. She shook her head and smiled, pulling herself back into the truck's cab, "Glenn's on a piss break."

"If the Chinaman's brain was bigger than his god damn bladder then-" He caught her staring at him with an eyebrow raised amusingly. He narrowed his eyes at her, "Got a problem?" She looked out the window and shook her head, then nodding it,

"There, he's done, okay Mr. Happy?" She asked and he huffed, placing a hand on the steering wheel and a foot on the gas petal,

"Call me that again and I'll kick your ass outta this truck." Harli smiled and stifled a laugh, looking out the window at his stale threat. The caravan began to move once again and Harli felt the baby blue ford lurch forward to follow,

"How much longer you suppose we have until we get there?"

"By the rate we're goin, another hour or so maybe." Daryl said while rubbing the scruff brewing on his chin. Harli sighed and looked out the window as the scenery began to fly by once again. There were abandoned cars they would pass every now and then and small bodies of water that glistened under the suns influence. Stray Walkers could be seen roaming parts of the streets and the fields of grass they would encounter in their journey. The sun above them began to grow tired and started to hide behind the hills, the sky turning into a colorful, dusky horizon. Harli's green eyes glistened as she stared at what was left of the burning sky above them.

**~`o.o`~**

Harli felt a hand grip onto her shoulder, shaking her in attempts to wake her up. It was strong hand, but soft. As she felt her body move back and forth, her eyes opened, and at first, all she could see was blur. "Hey, wake up this ain't no motel." As Harli's eyes adjusted to their settings and opened, she sat up while taking a look around her, eventually finding Daryl in her sights. He shifted his gaze back and forth from her to the road, "You should probably get up, we're almost there."

Harli rubbed her face and looked out the window, seeing exactly where they were. They passed houses and stores as the vehicles descended down the roadway. A hospital was nearby and sandbags were stacked on top of each other in order to try and protect the buildings from the plague. Alas, though, they failed to complete their job. Harli saw so many mangled bodies of the army and a few trucks, along with tanks, occupying everywhere else. Gradually she felt the truck slow and come to a stop, her body and mind fully alert. Harli grabbed her shotgun, and Daryl, his crossbow and they both exited the truck, walking up to the sidewalk. Everyone else were already making way towards the building,

"Come on, let's get going." Daryl walked past her and she followed in pursuit, eyeing the large and intimidating building. As they met up with the group , the horrific stenches of decaying bodies withered in their noses, making them cough and gag. Flies surrounded the bodies, eating away at their dead, decaying flesh. The group walked around the carpet of corpses, seeing many of them civilians and many being from the army. Harli cocked her gun as the group began to move forward towards the large building, wanting to get there before the sky turned completely dark. Other guns were cocked and ready for any threat that stood in their wake.

"All right everybody keep movin', go on, stay quiet... let's go!" Shane whispered towards the group as he and Rick led the way. The mothers cradled their young in their arms as they began to move faster, trying to keep up with one another. Everyone covered their mouths and noses as the stench became almost unbearable. They walked past a guard house and the smell began to get heavier once the bodies accumulated. Glenn began to gag and Harli couldn't stop coughing upon not being able to breath clean, fresh air. Daryl tapped Harli with the shotgun in his hand,

"Come on, aint that bad."

"Easy for you to say…" Harli mumbled and coughed one last time, putting her hand up to cover her mouth and nose.

"Come everyone stay together! Keep moving, come on!" Rick voiced while looking back at them as they all continued faster towards the building. Shane hushed all the whimpers and cries, looking around as if he were waiting for a Walker to pop up any moment. Everyone avoided the bodies and made sure to step over as many of them as they could.

"Oh god…" Glenn whispered to himself, taking in the carnage that had ensued upon the CDC. People began to chatter amongst themselves and Rick hushed them just as they came up to the door. Rick shoved the door with his hands, but nothing seemed to open up to them. Shane then ran up and slammed his hands on it as well, attempting to get someone to hear him from the inside. Still no answer ruptured the silence and gave relief to the tired survivors.

"There's nobody here!" T-Dog said in disappointment at Rick and Shane's feeble attempts. Rick stared up at the doors and looked back at T-Dog,

"Then why are these shutters down!?"

"They could've left through another entrance, maybe an underground tunnel or something?" Harli voiced her opinion and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Daryl turning and raising his crossbow,

"Walkers!" He shouted and everyone turned in horror as countless Walkers seemed to come out of nowhere. Lori grabbed a frightened Carl and Carol comforted Sophia as they soon began to panic. Daryl pulled the trigger on his crossbow and fired, taking one down with ease. Daryl gritted his teeth and rushed Rick,

"You led us into a graveyard!" Harli pushed Daryl back before he could get to Rick angrily,

"He made a call!" Dale argued back, defending Rick and Daryl growled while pointing at him,

"It was the wrong damn call!"

"Daryl stop! You're being too loud!" Harli tried to calm the crossbow wielder but Shane ran up, shoving Daryl back,

"Shut up! You hear me, shut up!" He demanded and Daryl's jaw clenched at Shane's voice barking out commands to him. Shane turned back to his friend, "Rick this is a dead end!"

"Where are we gonna go!?" Carol asked with clear panic in her voice. Rick continued to try to open the door as Shane walked up to him,

"Do you hear me? No blame!"

"It's getting dark and we're going to lose our eyesight... we need to think of something quick!" Harli said, watching as more Walkers began to spot them. Lori hugged Carl, looking frantically at her husband,

"She's right! We can't be here this close to the city after dark!" Rick struggled to think as Shane and Harli rose their guns, ready to fire at the Walkers that drew near at any moment. Shane looked at Rick from over his shoulder,

"Fort Benning- still an option!" Andrea began to pace under the pressure,

"On what? No food, no fuel, that's 100 miles!"

"Guys! Figure it out there's more coming!" Harli warned worryingly and Glenn turned to Rick,

"125! I checked the map!"

"Forget Fort Benning! We need answers now!" Lori growled at Rick and her husband put his hand up, beginning to become overwhelmed by all the pressure,

"We'll think of something."

"We have to figure it out _now_!" Harli shouted, lowering her gun and stepping back as more Walkers were being drawn to their voices,

"Come on, let's go!"

"Let's go, please!" T-Dog and Glenn begged at him and Shane began to rush everyone back to all the vehicles. Rick continued to stand in front of the doors, seeing something that caught his eyes,

"Come on, move!"

"The camera! Everyone! It moved." Rick waved for everyone to stop and they all looked back at him,

"You're just seeing things, Rick!" Shane said as the group continued to stare at him, contemplating whether to stay or rush back to the cars. Rick began to argued with Shane and then he turned around, ramming his hands on the door,

"I know you're in there, I know you can hear me!" Lori began to shout against Rick's feeble attempts, but he didn't move,

"Come on let's go!" Shane shouted at everyone, looking back at Rick with clear doubt. Harli turned to meet the familiar sound of a groggy hiss and a Walker reached out at her, Harli taking a couple steps back to avoid its touch. She raised the barrel of her gun and fired, sending it's body plummeting to the ground,

"Come on lets go!" She shouted while waving her hand to follow,

"Stay with Harli Carl!" Lori demanded and Carl grabbed onto Harli's hand while his mother ran to Rick, pulling him back with Shane,

"You're killing us! You're killing us!" Rick shouted at the camera above the door, the darkness beginning to envelop them as the sun retreated behind the buildings for slumber. Shane tried to calm Rick's hysteria as he shoved him back and get him to a vehicle. Just as Rick gave up, he joined the group in their escape to get out of the city. They immediately stopped dead in their tracks at the sound of a high pitched squeal.

As they turned, a bright light stunned the eyes of everyone, causing them to squint under its pressure. The door had finally opened and everyone stood staring as if they were all deer in the headlights. Their legs moved out from under their frozen bodies and they all rushed inside to escape death.

Once inside, Rick shouted to anyone that could hear him, trying to find the culprit of their safety. "Close those doors and watch for Walkers," Shane pointed at the doors and Harli grabbed one to close it, seeing a few Walker's trying to follow after them. Harli looked up at the immensely large building, taking in all its features and incredibly tall ceiling. She looked around for any sign of life; for anyone to give them comfort with a new voice. A gun cocked in the shadows and everyone lifted their guns instinctively in protest against it. Harli noticed a figure of a man standing in the dark,

"Anyone infected?" He shouted worryingly. Everyone lowered their guns,

"One of our group was. He didn't make it." Rick referred to Jim grimly and watched as the man crawled out of the shadows. He had loosely fitting clothes and his blonde hair was in unsettled shambles. He carried a large, semi-automatic rifle in his hands, barely pointing it at the group in front of him,

"Why are you here? What do you want?" He asked and Rick took a long needed breath,

"A chance." Rick replied and the man walked closer to them,

"That's asking for a lot, these days."

"I know…" Rick nodded and the man stared at each every one of them, examining their features with caution. He continued to walk forward,

"You all submit to a blood test, that's my price for admission." He offered and Rick's shoulders dropped from the anxiety, nodding in agreement,

"We can do that."

"If you all have stuff to bring in... do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed."

"Alright, we're gonna head out to get our stuff. Dale, Harli, T-Dog, you stay here and man the door." Shane stated, pointing at them to pick them out of the group. The three nodded and the rest of the men ran out the door to retrieve any belongings they needed. Minutes later they returned with loads of backpacks and duffle bags full of their meager supplies. T-Dog and Dale closed the doors tightly behind them, turning to see the strange man wave at them to follow.

"Come with me!" He shouted and everyone pursued after him to a large elevator. They poured in and all rested shoulder-to-shoulder with one another, "Vi, seal the main entrance. Kill the power up here." He spoke into a keypad on the wall of the elevator. The shaft door closed and Rick was quick to break the uncomfortable silence,

"Rick Grimes,"

"Dr. Edwin Jenner." He took in all the many desperate and tire faces he had just saved. The elevator shifted and began to move while everyone stayed quite,

"Doctors always go around packin heat like that?" Daryl asked curiously while eyeing the AR-15 in the scientists hands. Jenner, with his gun tucked to his shoulder, looked at him,

"There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself." Jenner smirked with amusement, "But you all look harmless enough." No one replied once again and Jenner found himself looking down at Carl with a smile, "Except you." Carl stared up at him meekly, pressing his back against Lori's stomach, "I'll have to keep my eye on you." Jenner chuckled to himself and Carl tried to fight back a smile.

"Where are we going, exactly?" Jenner looked back at Harli, who stared at him childishly,

"To the main flooring. That's where you'll all be staying." He noticed the bandages around her shoulder and the small blood that had cleared through the gauze. His eyes narrowed at the wound and Harli was quick to try and ease his thoughts, "It's not a bite, just so you know. You can even examine it if you want." Jenner looked up at her eyes and then back to the elevator door once he felt it slowing. The door opened and Jenner was the first to exit, walking hastily down the hallway. The group flooded out after him, carrying their things in their arms and hands.

"I grabbed your backpack, here." Daryl said as he walked next to Harli, holding out her backpack towards her. Harli took it and threw the strap on her shoulder,

"Thanks, it has my pistol and knife in it. Probably shouldn't have left it behind."

"Are we underground?" Carol asked with a bit of stress in her voice. Jenner looked back at her,

"Are you claustrophobic?"

"A little…"

"Try not to think about it." Jenner led them into a large, round room with various desks and computers. He causally strolled in, making the others cautiously take steps into the room as they stared around in awe, "Vi, bring up the lights in the big room." Lights flickered on, making the room brighter and clearer to all the curious pairs of eyes. There were empty chairs occupying the desks and computers, no one else could be seen. Jenner turned and elevated his hands in the air, taking a quick look around, "Welcome to zone 5."

Rick followed after Jenner down the railway to a set of computers, "Where is everybody? The other doctors... the staff?" Jenner stopped and turned around after landing his feet in the middle of the zone. The group stopped once more,

"I'm it. It's just me here." His voice sounded a bit disappointed and Lori's eyebrows knitted together,

"What about the person you were speaking with? _Vi_?"

"Vi, say hello to our guests. Tell them...welcome." Everyone looked up to the sound of a monotone voice calling over the loud speakers,

"_Hello guests... welcome."_

"I'm all that's left. I'm sorry." Jenner shook his head and turned, beginning to walk down a small flight of steps. He waved for them, "Come. It's time for your blood tests."

As the survivors followed Jenner, they all flooded into a room with countless chairs and a large projection screen at the bottom of a set of stairs. Jenner grabbed his equipment and pulled up a couple chairs so that he could begin his work. One by one the group lent him their arms and let him drain blood straight from their veins. Harli and Andrea were last ones that needed to give the scientist their samples,

"You, there, it's your turn." Jenner called and Harli looked up at him, making sure he was talking to her exactly. Upon seeing him nod at her, she hesitantly stood up and walked towards the chair propped next to him. Harli sat down and as soon as she saw the needles, her face turned while and her stomach flipped under her skin. She turned her face away, holding her breath,

"Are you alright?" Jenner asked while raising an eyebrow at her fearful behavior. She nodded and opened her eyes, feeling him tie the rubber tourniquet around her bicep. He pulled out a needle and she closed her hand, squeezing her fingernails into her palm tightly,

"You're going to have to loosen your muscles or I'm going to miss the vein,"

"Sorry… I'll try. I'm trypanophobic…." She voiced shakily and Jenner laughed to himself,

"Oh, you people are all types of fun."

"What's trypanophobic?" Rick asked, staring over at them at the sound of the odd word. Jenner looked up briefly at him, then back down as he stuck the needle into her vein. Harli closed her eyes tightly and balled her fist to her mouth,

"Trypanophobia is an acute fear of hypodermic needles." He stated as he drew Harli's blood from her vein. He slid the needle out and capped the veil, grabbing a bandage to tie it over her arm, "For you being of that phobia, you did well. Usually most people I stick pass out."

Harli stood up and retreated back to her seat, rubbing her fingers over the bandages wrapped on her skin. Andrea was next and Jenner was quick to do the same to her, "What's the point? If we're infected, we'd be running a fever." Andrea asked and Jenner sighed to himself as he finished her up. He put the needle on the desk,

"I've already broken every rule in the book letting you in here. Let me just at least be thorough." He stated, bandaging up Andrea's arm in the same manner he did everyone else. She stood up and Jaque caught her when she stumbled. Jenner furrowed his brow,

"You okay?"

"She hasn't eaten in days, none of us have." Jaque stated, helping lead Andrea away to a chair so the blonde could gather herself. Jenner looked at everyone thoughtfully and smiled.

**~`o.o`~**

Everyone laughed.

They were joyful and happy for the first time in ages.

Food littered the table, forks and spoons loyally bringing the contents of the silver utensils to the mouths of their handlers. Alcohol occupied the sides of all the dishes of the table, the adults wetting their lips enthusiastically with whatever liquor there was. Not too many words were exchanged as everyone tried to enjoy their food, but once words were thrown across the table, it was nothing but happy and positive. A large bottle of wine passed around through the adult's hands, each topping off their glasses as they couldn't get enough. Dale poured a glass of wine for Lori, "You know, in Italy, children have a little bit of wine with dinner... and in France!" The older man was quick to point out and Lori smiled, taking the glass and looking down at Carl,

"Well, when Carl is in Italy or France, he can have some then!" She said while taking a sip of her wine. Rick chewed on his food and laughed,

"What's it gonna hurt…. Come on?" Lori put her glass down and looked at him, then at Carl,

"Come on!" Rick motioned and everyone laughed to themselves, waiting for Lori's decision. Finally, she nodded and Dale took a glass, pouring a tiny bit of wine and handing it to Carl,

"Here you are, young lad!" Carl took the glass and put the rim to his mouth, tilting some of the wine into his lips. Everyone watched in silence and anticipation as Carl swallowed the alcohol, gauging his reaction. His face turned to turmoil as he put the glass down,

"Ewww!" He shook his head and everyone laughed at his reaction, Lori rubbing his back with a smile. Shane smiled,

"Well, just stick to soda pop there bud."

"Not you Glenn!" Daryl stated pointed at the young Asian boy and Glenn looked up from the wine bottle he was staring at,

"W-what!?" Daryl was getting ready to pour some whiskey while he stared at Glenn,

"Keep drinkin little man. I want to see how red your face can get!" He challenged and Glenn laughed, as well as everyone else.

"Hey Harli, are you gonna have a drink with us?" Dale asked, pouring the last of his bottle of wine into yet another wine glass. Harli looked up at him for a moment as he offered the wine to her and she waved her hand,

"No, no I don't drink, thanks."

"Oh come now, Harli! This is a special occasion why don't you have some fun?"

"You can drink with your friends here; this is a cause for celebration! Even Glenn's drinking!" Dale and Rick stated with friendly smiles. Harli stared at the glass of wine with contemplation. She told herself that she would never let alcohol touch her lips, but that was before the world went to shit. With a soft smile, she rubbed her head and looked down at her food sheepishly,

"I don't know…"

"Come on girly, only proper time for you to get your lips wet. Take a shot with me." Daryl leaned over the back of her and poured a small bit of whiskey in a makeshift shot glass in front of her. She looked up at him and saw the determination written across his face. She soon huffed and smiled, knowing it was now or never with all the peer pressure around her. Taking the glass, she gripped it in her fingers,

"This is my first time drinking. I only plan on doing it with you guys." Everyone laughed once she gave into their peer pressure. She put the glass to her lips and dipped her head back so the alcohol would slide down her throat much easier. The whiskey burned down her throat and all the way down into the pit of her stomach, feeling the bitter aftertaste of the liquor on her tongue. She struggled to hide a stale face and managed to put on a smile, setting the shot glass back down onto the table. Dale set the glass of wine he poured in front of her and she took it, sipping on it in attempts to rid her tongue of the leftover whiskey. At the sound of a fork clanging against a wine glass, all heads turned to Rick as he stood up over them,

"It seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly." Rick looked to Jenner and T-Dog raised his glass, a clear buzz of the alcohol making his face numb,

"He is more than just our host!" He smiled brightly and everyone else raised their glasses to Jenner, who sat quietly at the end of the table,

"Hear, hear!"

"Here's to you Doc!"

"Booyah!" Daryl threw his whiskey bottle up and everyone cheered for Jenner around the table, making people laugh once again. Jenner lifted his glass and nodded at Rick in thanks for the friendly toast and gesture. Everyone toasted their glasses together, clinking going all around the table.

"So when you gonna tell us what the hell happened around here, doc?" Everyone's happiness fell as they stared at Shane, then to Jenner. Jenner looked over at Shane, "All the uh, other doctors that were supposed to be figuring out what happened. Where are they?" Shane stared at his wine glass, tapping his finger on it before looking back into Jenner's dull, blue eyes. Rick looked down at Shane,

"We're celebrating, Shane. Don't need to do this now."

"Woah, wait a second. This is why we're here, right? This was your move, supposed to find all the answers. Instead…. We found him…." He laughed and pointed at Jenner with his thumb and Shane followed his own fingers direction, "We found one man, why?" There was an awkward and tense silence all about the room as Shane's words left a stale taste in everyone's mouths. Jenner finally muscled up the courage to speak and defend himself

"Well, when things got bad… a lot of people just left; went off to be with their families. And when things got worse… when the military got overrun, the rest bolted."

"Every last one?"

"No, many couldn't face walking out that door. They... opted out. There was a rash of suicides… that was a bad time…." Jenner looked down at his wine glass grimly and Andrea looked at him in curiousity,

"You didn't leave…. Why?"

"I just kept working… hoping, to do some good." Jenner caught the eyes of everyone in the room, seeing their moods slightly ruined by Shane's words. Glenn stood up and stared at Shane, his eyes beginning to glaze over from the alcohol,

"Dude… you are such a buzzkill man…"

**~`o.o`~**

"Most of the facility is powered down, including housing, so you'll have to make do here." Jenner led the group through a hallway of different rooms, from which they would be staying. Their bellies were finally full of food and they all felt rather refreshed, not being able to wait to see what their rooms were like. "The couches are comfortable. But there are cots in storage if you like. There's a rec room down the hall that you kids might enjoy. Just don't plug in the video games, okay?" Jenner turned to the kids and they looked up, nodding that they understood. Jenner wagged his finger over his shoulder at everyone, "Or anything that draws powers. The same applies. If you shower, go easy on the hot water!"

Everyone's mouths dropped and they looked at each other in amazement at the sound of _hot water_. Glenn turned to everyone, his face bright with joy as a large smile extended across his lips, "Hot water….?"

"That's what the man said…" T-Dog grew a smirk similar to Glenn's and everyone started laughing with happiness.

Everyone was quick to find their rooms, laying all their stuff down and readying for a much needed hot shower. The moment was almost heavenly when Jenner's words hit everyone's ears. As she entered her room, Harli looked down the hallway and saw Daryl enter the room where he would be staying. She looked to the ground and turned, seeing Carol and Sophia, "Would you like to room with us? We found a larger room," She asked kindly, stroking Sophia's hair with her long fingers. Harli smiled and nodded,

"Yeah sure. Thanks," She followed Carol and Sophia down the hallway and into their room. It was large with two couches and a bed tucked in the corner. No windows, unfortunately, but it was warm and cozy with a few bookshelves and desks occupying the lonelier areas. Harli curiously opened a closet and saw that it was full of clothing and blankets. She looked back at Carol and smiled, "Looks like we won't freeze or have any dirty clothes after we shower."

"This is such a blessing," Carol sat down on a couch and rubbed her face, with a heavy, relieving sigh. Sophia sat next to her,

"We're alright now mommy."

"I know babe, I know." She hugged her daughter and kissed her forehead, rubbing her hand across her head. Harli felt her stomach suddenly burn with warmth and she turned around with a confused expression, rubbing her belly,

"You okay, Harli?" Carol stood up and Harli looked at her,

"I don't know. My stomach feels weird." Carol chuckled under her breath and smiled lightly,

"It must be the alcohol, if it's that warm feeling in your stomach." Carol pointed out Harli groaned while rubbing her forehead,

"Great. I don't know what I'm like when I'm drunk." She mumbled more to herself than Carol or Sophia. Upon recognition, Harli was quick to her backpack's side and she rummaged through the thick pack, pulling out one of the lilies. It wasn't in the most pristine condition to Harli's dismay, but it still was good enough. She turned to Carol as her and Sophia readied to go to showers, "Here Carol…."

Carol turned and stopped, staring at the flower in Harli's hand. She took it and stared at it, brushing her fingers over the lilies petals, "Thanks Harli…. It's beautiful…"

"It's for Ed…" Harli shrugged her shoulders, staring down at Carol on the bed. Carol looked over at her and a hard lump tried to catch itself in her dry throat, "There's story behind these flowers." Harli sat down at Carol's side and rubbed her hands on her knees, "The white lily symbolizes pride, innocence, and heavenly purity. They say that these lilies are an angel's creation of heaven on earth to watch over those that have loved, lost, and grieved. It's said to give powers of strength to those who those who nurture it until its death. They're very rare, and illegal to pick in this state. But I got one for you so you can stay strong through all this."

Carol stroked the white petals and smiled softly at the story. Harli rubbed her shoulder and stood up, walking over to the couch she was going to sleep on and readying it for her for when she was finishing showering. Carol stood up and placed the flower on the desk next to the bed, motioning for Sophia and her daughter stood to her feet. Carol rubbed Sophia's shoulder, "We're going to go to the showers now." Harli looked over her shoulder and noticed they had fresh clothes and towels in their hands. Harli nodded,

"Ok, I'll be right behind you." Harli sat down on the couch, hearing the door close in Carol and Sophia's wake. She pulled the tank top off her chest and looked to the bandages stretching across her shoulders. Harli ruefully grabbed the medical tape that had been sticking to her skin for quite a few days, taking a deep breath as she began to peel it off. The adhesive rebelliously grasped onto Harli's tan skin and she hissed under her breath at the annoying pain. Harli then ripped off all the gauze in one fell swoop and grunted, staring down at the old wound. Even though it was still stitched together, it was still red and purple around the entry point. Her fingers grazed over it and surprisingly, it barely hurt and was now only sore. Harli leaned over the years that she healed rather rapidly, no matter how deep the wound was.

Harli stood up and grabbed a towel, along with some comfortable clothing, from a local closet. She put her tank top back on and headed out the door in the direction of the showers.


	6. Chapter 6

The hot water hit Harli's skin rapidly, making her shiver in pure delight at its warmth. It had been so long since her, and everyone else she assumed, had a hot shower. Sure, she had cleaned herself in creek beds, but it was nothing compared to the relief of a warm cascade of wonderful relief. Harli took a deep breath and put her head under the water, clenching her hands together as it dampened her hair. She smiled and ran her fingers through her wet hair, pushing them down across her face. Grabbing a bar of soap, Harli's hand gently pressed it across her shoulder wound, making her flinch from the soaps sting. The warmth of the water dulled the pain as it washed the soap away through the drain, making it feel heavenly.

She could hear laughing and the soothing breaths of her group in the other showers around her. They had been just as excited as she was and took the joy of the water with their verbal expressions. Harli looked down at a barely faded scar across her hip, looking away while feeling ashamed of it. Closing her eyes, she dipped her head back in the water in hopes that the memory of the scar washed away along with the dirt and grime of her body. As she looked down to all the dirt and blood washing down the drain, flashbacks of the horde of Walkers that attacked camp days before played through her mind. She felt so helpless during that time and with her being a girl, she knew she was less than the men in the group. They were stronger, they could shoot better, and they could protect easier. That led her mind to where she was now.

Before Rick and Glenn found her in the woods, she was nothing. Harli even thought that after falling down the hill that eventually led to her wound, those were her last moments of life. She wanted so badly to put a bullet in her head before they could get her and she thought she could make it. She tried desperately to save her father; she didn't know why, but she did. Unfortunately, he abandoned her for Fort Benning and she hadn't heard from him since. She hoped he had gotten what was coming to him.

Harli slammed her fist against the shower wall, making it ring throughout the room. She pressed her forehead to the wall and clawed her hands down past her face. Feeling dehydrated, Harli shut the water off and grabbed her towel, wrapping it around her body. She rung all the water from her hair and pulled her hair over one shoulder, opening the door while stepping out. The steam curled off her body in the temperature change, Harli watching as it rose up into the air and disappeared after losing its fight with the cold. She grabbed her clothing off a counter and headed to a changing room,

"Harli? Are you okay? I heard a loud bang." She turned to see Lori staring at her with her big, blue doe eyes. Harli smiled and nodded,

"Yeah, just slipped a bit in there."

"Okay. Just be a bit more careful next time." She smiled and patted Harli's wet shoulder as she passed by. Harli nodded and watched Lori walk off after Rick.

Daryl wrapped a towel around his waist, getting ready to open the door to his own shower. He rubbed his face as his head and eyes spun from the mass amount of alcohol running through his veins. He was drunk off his rocker from the bottle of whiskey he had downed at dinner. As he heard a soft set of wet footsteps walking across the concrete floor, he opened his door and peeked through. His eyes narrowed as Harli walked by, watching her careful movements as she made way towards the door. Her tone muscles slid under her skin flawlessly as she moved almost every limb along the way. But he did want to take a peek at what hid under her towel. He didn't know if it was the alcohol making her seem so interesting in that moment or if he had actually taking such a liking to a member of the group for once. But sooner than she appeared, she was gone behind a door.

Harli opened the door to a changing room and put her clothes down on a bench situated against the wall. She unsheathed her body from the towel and dressed herself in sweats and a tank top, something comfortable she could sleep in for once. Jeans were the worst to slumber in, as well as a dirty shirt and socks to her discomfort. She slipped on a pair of socks and softly dried off the stitching on her shoulder and the faded bruising on her jawline. Tossing the towel over her head, she left the changing rooms and soon walked out into the hallway. As Harli made her way through the thin hallways of the underground chambers, Dale came out of a room and walked towards her, a cheesy smile on his face. Harli nodded towards him in acknowledgement, "Night, Dale."

"Goodnight Harli. We'll actually get to have a good night's rest for once!" He exclaimed with much confidence and the two walked past each other, Harli laughing under her breath and continuing towards her room. As she opened the door, she soon took notice that Carol and Sophia hadn't returned from the showers just yet. Harli spun around and hung the towel on the back of the door, taking a relieved seat down on the couch in which she was to slumber. She grabbed her backpack and pulled out an old notebook, flipping it open and pulling the pen out of the spine, reading over its previous contents briefly.

She bit down on the edge of the pen and stared at a blank page that glared back up at her with its dull whiteness. The pens tip then touched the paper and swiveled back and forth, stringing out sentences that soon began to take up most of the paper. Her mind raced from side to side as her writing grew faster and sloppier by the second. Time passed Harli with no problem as she stopped paying attention to it. There were no windows outside to gauge whether it was light or day and the only thing telling her it was getting late was the wash of fatigue rolling through her core. A strained yawn escaped her mouth and she rubbed her temples, not realizing that almost an hour had passed her by without warning. Her eyes moved to the door when she heard the doorknob jiggle and saw the door swing open, the handle almost smacking into the wall. Daryl stared back at her from the doorway, his body swaying from his drunkenness. Harli narrowed her eyes confusingly at his abrupt entrance,

"Oh shit, wrong room." He mumbled more to himself than her, the door swinging softly as he tried to steady himself with the handle. Harli shook her head and shrugged, returning her gaze to the notebook in her lap,

"It's alright. You can come in if you want." She invited and Daryl narrowed his eyes, contemplating on whether or not he should. Finally, his legs buckled and he walked in, closing the door behind him in almost a slam. He meandered forward, staggering as he tried to walk across the room. Daryl stopped briefly and took in the rooms contents, deeming it nicer than his,

"Nice room you have here." He nodded and stared at the bed, "Big."

"Yeah, Carol chose it." Harli looked up at him briefly and then back down to her notebook. She continued to move her pen back and forth across the paper, not taking her eyes off the inked words that caressed the page with its darkness. Daryl stood uncomfortably in the room, placing his hands in the pockets of his jeans. Harli looked up, "You can sit down. It's not like I'm going to bite or anything." Daryl huffed and shrugged a shoulder, casually walking over to the couch.

"I don't know that." Daryl plopped down on the couch, stretching one arm across the back of it and chewing on the inside of his cheek. He stared curiously over at Harli as she wrote down on paper, "What're you doin'?" His words were a bit slurred and Harli continued to stare at the paper,

"Writing some stuff down." She said bluntly and Daryl rubbed his head, looking over at her paper,

"Oh yeah? What kind of stuff?" Harli pulled the paper away defensively upon seeing him leaning over to steal a peek of it. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow,

"Personal. Stuff." She said sternly and the two narrowed their eyes at one other. Harli then watched as Daryl's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell forward, landing on her lap. She felt her face burn in embarrassment, "Have enough whiskey to drink?"

"There's never enough, you jokin'?" He turned his head and his blue eyes glared up at her. He shifted his body more comfortably and crossed his arms, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh. Harli stared down at him, continuing to feel shy about his behavior,

"Are you gonna get up anytime soon?" She asked, looking down and trying to move his heavy head out of her lap. He narrowed his eyebrows, his eyes still closed,

"Yeah, give me a couple minutes. My heads spinnin' like a damn wheel." He shifted his weight once again and the scruff of his jaw scratched against Harli's sweats. Harli took a silent, deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm her nerves somewhat. _'That's just the alcohol talking…'_ She rested her notebook on the arm of the couch, hearing the familiar sound of sleepy breathing. Harli put her hand out, feeling like taking her fingers and running it across his head to feel his soft brown hair on her hand. She then pulled her hand away, biting down on her lip and clenching a fist. Harli knew he was now asleep but couldn't bring herself to do it.

More time had passed and Harli's eyes began to get heavy from tiredness. She closed her notebook and rubbed her forehead, feeling her head beginning to ache with pain. Even though Daryl was still asleep, she couldn't figure out what to do with him. She could try to move out from under him and let him sleep on the couch for the rest of the night but she didn't know what to say to Carol. As if on cue, the door opened and she heard Carol talking to Sophia in a low tone. Sophia was the first to step in, her jaw-length hair wet and tossed up in a small ponytail. Carol then stepped in and stopped, staring at Daryl sleeping on the couch,

"What's he doin' in here?" She asked curiously and confused, motioning Sophia towards the bed. Harli looked down at Daryl,

"He just wandered in here, all drunk and such and passed out after a small conversation. I didn't know what to do; I didn't want to wake him up." She looked back up to Carol, who was tucking Sophia into the bed,

"Well, you know he shouldn't stay in here. He'll probably throw a fit when he wakes up."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Harli grabbed his head and lifted it off her leg and setting it on the couch. She stood up, tucking a tuff of hair behind her ear and bending over while placing a hand on his shoulder, "Daryl, come on. Wake up, Daryl." She shook him softly, careful not to startly him and earn a swift fist to the face. A groan escaped his lips and his face contorted out of a soft slumber, Harli continuing to shake his shoulder and whisper to him to wake up.

"The hell you want?" His raspy voice asked as his eyes clenched shut tightly and then finally opened. Harli pulled at his arm,

"Come on you; let's get you back to your room." He pulled his arm from her grasp and leaned up, hissing and rubbing his head,

"God damn headache." He slouched over himself and rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand. Harli waved her hand,

"Come on, faster you do this the faster you can sleep." She coaxed and Daryl stood up, stumbling to the side as he lost balance. Harli grabbed his arm and guided him to the door, feeling the heaviness of his large torso leaning on her. Harli caught Carol climbing into bed with Sophia as she opened the door; Harli turning the light off and shutting the door quietly behind her.

"Which room is yours?" Harli asked quietly, careful not to make too much noise around the other rooms. Daryl looked up and his eyes continued to spin,

"I think four doors down. I can't remember." He groaned and Harli continued to guide him through the hallway, following his direction. Harli saw a single door at the end of the hallway and her instincts took her there as Daryl wasn't helping much. She placed her hand on the hand and opened it, seeing no one occupying its space. As they two stepped in, Harli immediately took notice to the familiar crossbow propped up next to a backpack.

"You're here." She said with relief and stepped back, Daryl finally gaining his balance. Daryl stepped into his room and placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair with a small smirk,

"Thanks half pint."

**~*o*~**

Harli could feel herself coming out of a deep slumber, her eyes moving back and forth under her dark lids. She shifted around on the couch a few times and finally popped open her eyes, staring at the bland ceiling above her. She took a look around and saw that she was still in the room and the CDC wasn't all a dream. Rolling up on her rump, she crossed her legs and with a groan, lazily rubbed the rest of her sleepiness out of her eyes. She looked over to the bed in the corner and noticed that Carol and Sophia were not in its sheets.

"Hope I didn't sleep in…" She mumbled to herself and looked up at the ceiling with a deep sigh. Lifting her dead weight off the couch, her tired legs shakily held herself up as she stood. Harli opened the door and didn't see any of her fellow survivors occupying the hallway. She stepped out of her room, closing the door behind her and continuing towards the kitchen. Harli followed the familiarity of the hallway and soon saw the opening to the kitchen, stepping in and seeing many of her group's faces crowding the table. "Morning…" She mumbled while pulling her hair to one side and sat down at the end of the table. She wasn't entirely sure if they heard her soft voice and saw that T-Dog was serving breakfast,

"Good morning."

"You okay Glenn?" Harli asked while staring at his painful, disheveled appearance as T-Dog put powdered eggs on a plate for Harli,

"Don't ever, ever let me drink again…" He groaned, his face hanging over his plate with a hand rested on his forehead.

"Hey." Harli turned, as well as everyone else, to see Shane entering the room. He made a beeline to the coffee and poured himself a drink,

"Feel as bad as I do?" Rick said over the table and all the commotion amongst everyone's small talk. Shane mumbled something over his shoulder and T-Dog put the empty pan down on the counter as Shane turned towards him,

"The hell happened to you? Your neck?" T-Dog asked shockingly and Shane rubbed the claws markings on his neck as he sat down at the table.

"I must've done it in my sleep."

"Never seen you do that before." Rick said, staring up at him a bit suspiciously. Shane eyeballed him,

"Me neither. Not like me at all," His eyes shifted to Lori and Lori was quick to ignore him. Harli watched suspiciously as she sipped on some coffee that T-Dog had brought to her. Her mouth then twisted in protest to the bitter taste as she set the mug down on the table. Rick looked over at her,

"You alright?" She nodded and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand,

"Yeah, just forgot I hate coffee." She laughed under her breath and as soon as she remembered the night before, her eyes tossed up to everyone at the table, "Hey, anyone see Daryl?"

"No. Must still be sleeping from all that booze that slipped down his throat last night. Hate to see him hungover," T-Dog said as he sat down to eat his own concoctions. Harli heard footsteps and looked over, seeing Jenner entering the breakfast party,

"Morning!" He called and everyone went around the table saying their greetings. Dale leaned back in his seat,

"Hey doc, I don't mean to slam you with questions first thing-"

"But you will anyway." Jenner stated with a smile while pouring himself a glass off coffee. Andrea nodded and looked over,

"We didn't come here for the eggs." Jenner turned around and rubbed his nose, staring at the group surrounding the chairs of the table. Some stared down at their food and others stared at him, waiting for any questions and answers. Harli just started eating her food as she saw Daryl walk into the room, his hand rubbing his forehead tiredly. He headed straight for the coffee and rounded the table, sitting down with a plate that T-Dog had left for him. Harli looked back down at her food and stared at it for a few moments, suddenly losing her appetite. She wasn't much of an eater anyways,

"Harli, you barely touched your food." Dale looked over at Harli, making others stare at her as well. She looked at her food, then at him,

"Sorry, I'm just not all that hungry. You guys can have it if you want." She placed her plate in the middle of the table for anyone who wanted the extra meal. No one wanted to touch it; they were so used to rationing out their food to others they didn't know what to do with it. Harli caught Daryl's eyes and they stared at each other for a moment before she looked away, grabbing a glass of water.

"As soon as all you are done eating follow me please." Jenner said as he sipped on his coffee.

**~*o*~**

Jenner led the Atlanta group back into the computer ring, his eyes staring up at the projection screen overhead. Everyone crowded around the computers as Jenner stopped and messed with the keypad on one of them. Jenner leaned back up and then stared at the screen,

"Give me a playback of TS-19."

"_Playback of TS-19." _Vi replied politely and the giant projection screen began to flicker to life. Jenner put his hands on his hips as he waited for the playback to initiate, his head turning over his shoulder,

"Few people ever got a chance to see this. Very few." He said and they all looked past him as the screen's brightness shined against their faces. A virtual brain came onto the screen as a person's head lied on a table, a few different panels of the screen showing different areas and visions of the brain. Carl stared at it confusingly,

"Is that a brain?" Jenner looked over at him with a smile,

"An extraordinary one. Not that it matters in the end." He looked back at the screen with orders, "Take us in for EIV."

"_Enhanced internal view." _Vi loyally heeded Jenner's commands and a few different strokes of the screen went overhead. Everyone stared at it in a bit on confusion, not knowing what Jenner was trying to accomplish. Harli crossed her arms and leaned back on a computer desk, watching in the same manner as everyone else. The brain flickered with many different lights as the camera panned to the inside,

"What are those lights?" Shane asked while raising and eyebrow and Jenner sighed, smiling softly,

"It's a person's life. Experiences, memories, it's everything. Somewhere in that organic wiring, in all those ripples of light, is you. The thing that makes you unique... and human." Daryl stood up, walking over towards Carol and Harli,

"You don't make sense, ever?" He asked while crossing his arms and Jenner looked over at him,

"Those are synapses. Electric impulses in the brain that carry all your messages. They determine everything a person says, does, or thinks from the moment of their birth, to the moment of death." Harli found a chair and sat in it, pulling her legs to her chest to continue watching intriguingly. She knew about everything he was talking about. She knew how the brain functioned and knew how they made some people act. She had seen the brain in many ways, inside and out, and the ways certain people reacted to different situations. Good brains, bad brains, Harli knew it all. She had an odd feeling of what Jenner was going to discuss with them.

"Death? That's what this is, a vigil?" Rick asked, walking towards Jenner. Jenner continued to look at the screen,

"Yes… or rather the playback of a vigil."

"This person died?" Andrea asked while narrowing her eyes, "Who?"

"Test subject nineteen. Someone who was bitten. Infected." Jenner looked over his shoulder at her, "They volunteered to have us record the process…. Vi, scan forward to the first event."

"_Scanning to first event." _The screen fast forwarded and then synapses in the brain began to slow down, a dark matter began to rise in the brain stem. The lights that flickered dimmed,

"What is that?" Glenn asked, both mesmerized and confused. Jenner looked at him and pointed to the screen,

"It invades the brain like meningitis. The adrenal glands hemorrhage, the brain goes into shutdown, then the major organs…" The brain slowly faded to black and all movements from the subject seized,

"What happened?" Carl asked,

"They died." Harli said, staring at the screen. Daryl and Carol looked over at her, "That's what it does…. It kills the brain. All the organic matter… gone." Jenner looked back at Harli and nodded,

"Yes, you're right. Everything you ever were or ever will be… gone."

"Is that what happened to Jim?" Sophia asked shyly while looking up at her mother. Carol sighed and nodded her head, wrapping an arm around Sophia's shoulders,

"Yes." Jenner exchanged a couple words with Andrea before looking back up at the screen, "Scan to the second event."

"_Scanning to second event." _The screen fast forwarded once more,

"The resurrection time varies; we had it happening in as little as three minutes. The longest we heard was eight hours. In the case of this patient, it was two hours… one minute…. Seven seconds." The playback slowed and a red light could be seen flickering in the stem of the brain. Harli stood up and watched intriguingly at the sight before her,

"That brain… its not coming back to life is it?" She stopped next to Jenner, narrowing her eyebrows at the picture. Jenner looked over at her but Lori was first to speak,

"It restarts the brain?"

"No, just the brain stem. Basically, it gets them up and moving."

"But they're not alive?" Rick asked and Jenner moved towards him, elevating his hand towards the screen,

"You tell me."

"It's nothing like before. Most of that brain is dark."

"That's because it's not." They looked over at Harli and she crossed her arms, staring confusingly at the brain, "The synapses and rotary functions aren't restarting the actual brain. These brains, there are no thinking, no judgment, no desire, and no distinction between right and wrong. It's only function is…. To get up and go. Animalistic instinct to move, to survive." Jenner looked over at Harli with a soft smile and she met his gaze,

"Took the words out of my mouth."

"I'm a psychologist." Harli finally admitted her knowledge and Jenner nodded,

"Then you're on the same page as I am. You know what this leads to." Jenner turned back to Rick,

"The frontal lobe, the neocortex, the human part? That doesn't come back. The _you_ part. Just a shell driven by mindless instinct." As they looked back up they saw a shattering light break through a bland area in the head,

"God, what was that?" Carol asked and Andrea sighed, continuing to stare at the screen,

"He shot his patient in the head." She looked over at him, "Didn't you?" Jenner looked down without a word, almost shamefully,

"Vi, power down the main screen and the workstations."

"_Powering down main screen and work stations."_

"You have no idea what it is, do you?" Andrea asked, walking up to him accusingly. Jenner took a breath,

"It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal-"

"Or the wrath of God?" Jaque said, staring at Jenner. Jenner nodded,

"There is that."

"Somebody must know something. Somebody, somewhere."

"There are others, right? Facilities?" Carol asked and Jenner struggled to find his words,

"There may be some. People like me,"

"You don't know? How can you not know!?" Rick asked, stepping forward. Jenner shook his head and shrugged his shoulders,

"Everything shut down. Communications, directives, all of it. I've been in the dark for almost a month."

"So it's not just here, it's everywhere? That's what you're really saying right?" Andrea voiced and everyone stared at him, waiting for an answer but Jenner brought them none. Daryl scoffed and rubbed his face, leaning on a computer,

"I'm gonna get shitfaced drunk... again…" Dale walked up, staring at the large red clock in front of them that had been bothering his conscious for quite some time,

"Dr. Jenner, I know this has been taxing for you and I hate to ask one more question. That clock, its counting down. What happens at zero?" Jenner lied through his teeth in his answer,

"The basement generators, they run out of fuel."

"And then?" Rick asked hesitantly but Jenner ignored him and walked off. Rick looked up,

"Vi, what happens when the power runs out?"

"_When the power runs out, facility wide decontamination will occur."_

**~*o*~**

Harli sat in her room along with Carol and Sophia, the three keeping quiet to themselves. Carol was reading a book to Sophia on a couch and Harli sat at the table, ridding the dirt from her shotgun. She heard Carol's soft voice and Sophia's careful snickers as she went on, flipping page after page.

The soft humming of the air conditioning suddenly stopped.

Harli's eyebrows narrowed and she put her gun back down on the table, staring confusingly and curiously up at the vents. She placed a chair under it and stood on it while elevating her hand out, not feeling any fresh air blowing into the room. Carol stared at Harli's confused expression, standing up from the bed,

"Something wrong Harli?" She asked curiously and Harli looked down at her,

"Not really… I was just wondering why the air conditioning stopped." The lights then began to flicker and they suddenly went out as well,

"Mommy what's going on?" Sophia asked a bit worried, sucking up to Carol's side. Harli grabbed her pistol out of her bag and tucked it between the small of her back and the band of her pants. Harli and Carol exchanged looks before they both walked to the door, peeked their heads out and seeing Jenner Walking towards them,

"Why is the air off?"

"And what happened to the lights in our room?" Carol and Harli asked softly but Jenner walked past them and the two women were soon to follow after. Everyone else began to poke their heads out of their rooms as well,

"What's goin on? Why is everythin' turned off?" Daryl swung his torso out of the doorframe of his room, one of his arms making sure he kept himself steady. Half a bottle of whiskey swung loosely in his free hand as he waited for someone to answer. Jenner swung down and stole the bottle, continuing on down the hallway as he chugged the liquor down his throat,

"Energy use is being prioritized." Jenner said through we lips and Dale stepped out of his room,

"Air isn't a priority? And lights?" By this time, Jenner had gone to the end of the hallway, making everyone follow in his wake. He took another swing of the liquor and shook his head,

"It's not up to me. Zone five is shutting itself down." The lights in the hallway turned off and Jenner rounded a corner. Daryl quickly caught up to him,

"Hey! Hey what the hell does that mean!?" He ran up next to Jenner, who ignored most of his questions, "Hey man, I'm talkin' to you! What do you mean it's shuttin' itself down? How can a building do anything!?"

"You'd be surprised." Jenner said more to himself than Daryl and continued down the stairs, Lori running to the railing and spotting Rick, T-Dog, Glenn, and Shane running in from downstairs,

"Rick!?" She called and Rick ignored her, walking up to Jenner,

"Jenner, what's happening!?"

"The system is dropping all the nonessential uses of power. It's designed to keep the computers running to the last possible second. That started as we approached the half hour mark. Right on schedule." Jenner eyed the large numbers of a countdown glaring down at him and the rest of the survivors. The group continued to follow Jenner to the sector floorboard, back where it all started. Everyone glanced at each other, slightly confused of what was going on and not knowing how to handle the situation. Jenner made his way up the small steps, taking yet another large swing of the whiskey and then came to an abrupt halt. He turned around and handed the bottle back to Daryl, Daryl snatching it back into his has violently, causing some to spill on the floor. Jenner turned to Andrea,

"It was the French."

"What?"

"They were the last ones to hold out as far as I know. While our people were bolting out the doors and committing suicide in the hallways, they stayed in the labs till the end. They thought they were close to a solution."

"What happened?" Harli asked while Jenner walked forward, stopping and turning to look at her,

"Same thing that's happening here. No power grid. Ran out of juice. The world runs on fossil fuel, I mean, how stupid is that?" Jenner laughed and Shane gritted his teeth, jumping over the steps,

"Let me tell you-"

"To hell with it Shane! I don't care. Lori, grab our things, everybody get your stuff. We're getting outta here now!" Rick ordered out against his group. Everyone nodded and began to run towards the doorway to head back to their rooms. They all stopped dead in their tracks as they heard a loud blaring noise overhead and watched as red lights began to flicker.

"What the hell is that?" Harli asked, staring over her shoulder,

"_Thirty minutes to decontamination."_ Vi's voice echoed throughout the large room. Harli looked over and saw the halfway point counting down from the thirty minute mark. Daryl growled,

"Doc, what's goin on here dammit!?" Harli watched as Jenner rushed to a computer keypad, his fingers moving violently across the keys. Shane looked at everyone,

"Everyone, ya'll heard Rick! Get your stuff and let's go! Go now!" Shane's voice was demanding and T-Dog motioned for everyone to follow him.

"Come on!" Glenn shouted, frantically waving for everyone to get moving. There was a loud clang and Harli looked over to see a main door slam shut to their exit point. Rick's heart leapt out of his chest and he ran up to it, turning to face Jenner. Glenn stared horrified at the closed door,

"Did you just lock us in?" He looked at everyone while pointing at the close exit, "He just locked us in!"

Everyone frantically ran back into the room and Carl called for his mom. Lori grabbed him and Harli looked up to Daryl, seeing his teeth clench and his eyes dead set on Jenner,

"Daryl! No-!" She grabbed at his arm but her fingers missed his thick skin, watching his animalistic behavior as he darted up the stairs,

"You son of a bitch!" Daryl easily navigated around the computers, closing in on Jenner for the kill,

"Shane!"

"You locked us in here!"

"No stop! Don't!" Rick called from over the room and in just the nick of time, Shane grabbed Daryl before he could do any real damage. Daryl grabbed Jenner by the shirt, pulling the scientist to the floor. T-Dog, Harli, and Glenn all ran up to help Shane restrain Daryl, "You locked us in here!" He shouted once more. T-Dog and Glenn grabbed onto him,

"Wait no!"

"No! Don't do it!" The three men could barely keep Daryl down as he tried to pry himself from their grasp and destroy Jenner. Harli helped Jenner to his feet and he straightened out his lab coat, glaring back at Daryl's irate antics. Rick walked up with determination in his eyes,

"Jenner, you open that door now."

"There's no point! Everything topside is locked down. The emergency exits are sealed."

"Well open the damn things!" Harli said, staring at him hard. Jenner looked at her and shook his head,

"That's not something I control, the computers do. I told you, once that front door closed, it stays closed. You heard me say that." He pointed at Rick and Rick looked around at his group as Carol and Lori held on to their frightened children, "It's better this way…"

"What is?" Rick asked annoyingly as he looked back to Jenner. Rick glanced up at the clock curiously as he stared at the countdown of numbers, "What happens in twenty eight minutes?" Jenner ignored his questions and turned to the computer. Rick grabbed his shoulder, gripping it tightly, "What happens in twenty eight minutes!?"

"Come on!" Daryl went to grab at Jenner but Harli kept him at bay while pressing on his chest. Jenner couldn't keep his patience with them any longer and shot up from his chair,

"Do you know what this place is!? We protected the public from very, nasty stuff!" Jenner's always soft voice now became a very angry bellow throughout the entire sector, "Weaponized smallpox! Ebola strains that could wipe out, half the country! Stuff that you don't want getting out, ever!" Everyone stared in silence to him and Daryl paced around him like a wolf circling its prey. Jenner took a seat back in his chair and straightened his demeanor, trying to calm himself, "In the event of a catastrophic power failure. In a terrorist attack, for example, HIT's are deployed to prevent any organisms from getting out."

"HIT's?" Rick asked confused, walking up to him. Jenner looked down and sighed,

"Vi, Define."

"_HIT's: high impulsive fuel-air explosives consist of a two-stage aerosol ignition that produces a blast wave of significantly greater power and duration than any other known explosive except nuclear. The vacuum pressure effect ignites the oxygen at between 5,000 and 6,000 degrees and is useful when the greatest loss of life and damage to structure is desired."_

"It sets the air on fire… no pain. An end to sorrow, grief, regret. Everything." Jenner whispered to himself, seeming proud of the fact that the whole building was going to disintegrate. There were no words from anyone as the information slowly began to sink into their minds. Harli looked over and saw Carol beginning to cry as she held Sophia in her thin arms. T-Dog and Glenn grabbed their heads and rubbed them in frustration. Daryl paced back and forth, the bottle of whiskey still in his hands.

Harli felt like a trapped animal waiting to be euthanized.

Rick, Glenn, and Daryl walked up to the door, trying to figure out a way to open it. Daryl slammed the bottle against the door, turned, and pointed at Jenner in furious frustration, "Open the damn door!" Shane ran over and pulled an axe from the emergency glass case,

"Out of my way!"

"Daryl!" T-Dog shouted, throwing an axe to the crossbow wielder. Daryl ran up to the door and swung at it alongside Shane, but made no progress and only barely scratched the surface. Harli turned to Jenner, kneeling down,

"Jenner… please… please open that door…." He looked over at her, his eyes glazed over,

"Why…? So you can all go out there and suffer? So you can all try to survive while you lose every last one of your group, one by one?"

"We've made it this far, we can make it even further, just please… let us try."

"You should've left well enough alone. It would've been so much easier."

"For who!?" Lori bit back at him as she heard their conversation. Jenner looked over at Lori, who cradled Carl in her arms,

"All of you. You know what's out there. A short, brutal life and an agonizing death. Your sister, what was her name?" He asked while pointing at Amy. As Andrea sat on the floor, she looked at Jenner, her voice soft,

"Amy…"

"Amy… you know what this does. You've seen it. Is that really what you want for your wife and son?"

"I don't want this!" Rick bit back as Jenner was quick to turn back to him. Shane ran back and doubled over a computer, trying to figure out what to do. Jenner stared at him thoughtfully,

"Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher."

"Bet your head ain't!" Daryl came running out of nowhere, swinging the axe over his shoulder and aiming for Jenner.

"Woah! Woah! Daryl!" Dale, Rick, and Harli grabbed him before he could manage to take Jenner's head from his body. T-Dog pulled the axe from his hands and Harli shoved him back,

"Back off!" She shouted and Jenner stood up, motioning towards Rick,

"You do want this. Last night you said, you knew it was just a matter of time before everybody you loved was dead."

"What? You really said that? After all your big talk?" Shane asked accusingly to his friend and Rick looked around to Lori, seeing her frightened face,

"I had to keep hope alive, didn't I?"

"There is no hope! There never was!"

"There's always hope!" Rick bit back at Jenner, "Maybe it won't be you, maybe not here, but somebody, somewhere!"

"What part of _everything is gone_ do you not understand?" Andrea asked, looking up at Rick,

"Listen to your friend, she gets it. This is what takes us down. This is our extinction event." Jenner shook his head at them all. Harli heard sobbing and looked over to Carol,

"This isn't right… you can't just keep us here!"

"One tiny moment, a millisecond, no pain."

"My daughter doesn't deserve to die like this!" Carol cried, rubbing her face into Sophia's hair. Jenner tried to make her understand,

"Wouldn't it be kinder? More compassionate to just hold your loved ones and wait for the clock to run down?"

"But that's not your decision to make." Harli walked up to Jenner and he stared at her grimly, "You said it yourself; it was our decision to make whether or not we want to die here. We don't, and it's not fair for you to make our decisions for us. We want to try to survive our way through this epidemic, even if you don't want to make it yourself. There is hope, and somewhere out there are still people that are trying to fix this thing. You said you lost communications long ago, who's to say that there still aren't facilities out there still running? Trying to fix the problem?" Jenner heard her words and had nothing left to say to her, knowing that her words were partially true. Everyone turned at the sound of a gun cocking and Shane ran up with his shotgun,

"Shane, no!"

"Out of the way Rick! Stay out of my way!" He shoved Rick to the side and pointed the barrel at Jenner's head, "Open that door, or I'm gonna blow your head off, do you hear me!" Lori and Carol moved Sophia and Carl out of the way just in case Shane went through with his actions. Shane had an insane look in his eyes as Rick turned to him, trying to mediate,

"Brother, this is not the way you do this. We will never get out of here!"

"Shane, you listen to him." Harli warned, trying to help out the situation. Shane continued to stare Jenner in the face,

"It's too late…"

"He dies, we all die Shane!" Rick shouted and Shane began to yell, pressing the barrel of the gun to Jenner's face. Abruptly, Shane then pulled it away from Jenner's skin and Harli stepped out of the way just in time to avoid his shotgun blasting rounds into the computers. Rick grabbed the shotgun and yanked it from his hands, hitting him with the back end of it and sending him to the ground, "You done now? Are you done!?"

"Yeah I guess we all are…" Shane bit back while his hand hovered over his bleeding nose. Rick handed T-Dog the gun and turned towards his group, staring each and every one of them in the eye. Witnessing so much fear in their eyes, he turned towards Jenner,

"I think you're lying."

"What?"

"You're lying about no hope. If it were true, I think you would've bolted with the rest and taken the easy way out. You didn't. I think what Harli said to you is true. You chose the hard path. Why?"

"It doesn't matter…" Jenner broke Rick's eye contact, but Rick pushed on,

"It does matter, it always matters. You stayed when others ran. Why?"

"Not because I wanted to. I made a promise, to her. My wife." He pointed to the screen as it continued to count down their demise. Harli looked up, narrowing her eyes as she put all the pieces together

"Test subject 19 was your wife?"

"She begged me to keep going as long as I could. How could I say no?" Jenner's voice turned sorrowful and Harli's heart pounded as she watched Daryl cutting away at the door. She listened to Jenner in the background, "She was dying. It should've been me on that table. It wouldn't have matter to anybody. She was a loss to the world. Hell, she ran this place here. I just worked here. In our field, she was an Einstein. Me? I'm just… Edwin Jenner. She could've done something about this. Not me."

"But your wife didn't have a choice… you do… that's all went want." Rick said as he looked around the room till he was back at Jenner, "A choice, a chance."

"Let us keep trying as long as we can…" Jenner looked to Lori as she held Carl, feeling his head slowly changing its mind,

"I told you topside's locked down, I can't open those." Jenner shook his head at them. Harli heard footsteps and turned to see Jenner walking over towards his computer, scanning his card. He pressed a few numbers on the keypad, closing his eyes and pressing his forehead against his hands. The doors suddenly opened and Daryl turned,

"Come on!" Glenn and T-Dog ran up, their faces frantic, yet relieved,

"Come on! Let's go!" Everyone to their chance and began to turn, running towards the doors to their rooms to grab their supplies. Harli walked up to Jenner,

"Thank you…"

"You remind me a lot of my wife." He said, staring into Harli's green eyes. She nodded and smirked, turning and then running off to her room. She looked over her shoulder as she left Rick and Jenner on the platform by themselves,

"Hey!? We got four minutes left come on!" Glenn shouted, trying to get everyone in gear. Harli heard Jaque protesting about her leave. She had wanted to stay; she had nothing left and didn't want to end up like the rest she had already lost. Shane grabbed T-Dog and hurried him away as T-Dog tried to convince Jaque to go with them. Harli turned to Carol and Sophia,

"Come on, let's go get our stuff quickly!"

"I already did, here!" Shane tossed Harli her bag and her shotgun, Harli grabbing them quickly and running to Rick and Daryl at the front door. The group all quickened their pace with their bags in hand, running up the dark stairwell leading to the upper floor. The light shining through the windows bore into everyone's faces, their eyes squinting at the intense rays. T-Dog then slammed into the front doors,

"Get those doors open!" Glenn shouted, running up to the doors and prying at them with his fingers. Daryl and Shane ran to the windows, Daryl throwing Shane an axe as they marched to destroy the glass. Harli watched as their feeble attempts at breaking open the front windows failed, her stomach twisting under all the pressure. T-Dog ran up with a chair and crashed it against the window, noticing that it made no progress with the axes. Harli lifted the barrel of her shotgun,

"T-Dog! Move!" She demanded and Shane walked up alongside her with his own shotgun, raising it next to her. They both fired consecutively and the spray of lead beads only made scratches against the thick windows.

"Shit…" She heard Shane mumble and Harli rested her shotgun in her arms, staring at the glass in disbelief. They were trapped like rats.

"The glass won't break?" Sophia's childish voice asked in fear. Carol quickly shuffled around in her bag,

"Rick! I might have something that can help."

"Carol I don't think a nail files gonna do it." Shane said, pacing around the room and eyeing her curiously. Carol stopped and continued to rustle around in her bag,

"The first morning at camp when I washed your uniform, I found this in your pocket." She pulled out a grenade and it circled around in the palm of her hand as her hand shook. Rick took it and walked towards the window,

"Look out!" Harli ran to the stairs and fell to the floor, watching as Rick pulled the pin and planted the grenade. He jumped off the platform and ran towards them,

"Get down!" The explosive sent a shockwave in and outside the center, Harli's ears ringing in protest to the loud sound. She looked up to see everyone getting up and running towards the shattered windows to escape. Her green eyes watched as Daryl mouthed to her almost noiselessly and he grabbed her arm, hoisting her up to her feet. Harli grabbed her gun and pursued after Daryl as he jumped out from the large frame of the window.

As her feet slammed against the ground, Harli looked up to see scattered Walkers all over the grassy front. Harli lifted the barrel of her shotgun, firing and helping clear a path for the rest that were trying to get to their vehicles. Daryl swung his axe, chopping a Walker's head clean off its body in one fell swoop. As the Walkers were clear enough to get through, everyone hurried to the vehicles in nothing but a dead sprint.

Harli and Daryl made it back to Daryl's truck and the two jumped in quickly, slamming their doors shut. Daryl grabbed the keys in the ignition and quickly tried to bring it to life. Harli looked out the window, her eyes widening to see Dale and Andrea stepping out of the wreckage of the window, "Daryl, wait!" Daryl looked up to see them jogging to the Winnebago and Harli heard the horn of it honking violently. Her eyes flickered as she saw flames igniting in the building and slowly crawling up through the shadows of the CDC. Harli felt hands grab onto her shoulders and a heavy force push her down,

"Get down!" Daryl lied over the top of her and Harli closed her eyes, hearing the intensely loud explosion break apart the building. She shoved her hands to her ears as her arms shook from the adrenaline, feeling the sudden reverberations against her skin. The truck shook against the detonation as more simultaneous explosions bellowed through the city. It finally sent an incredibly large shockwave through the air, making the truck give one last thrust. As the explosions seized, all they could hear was the flickering of the flames that took the devastation over. Daryl lifted looked up to gauge the situation, as well as Harli, seeing the damage it had done. The two panted from their pounding hearts and Daryl looked down at her as he lifted himself, "You alright?"

Harli looked into his blue eyes and nodded in answer to his question, her tongue not being able to form words. Daryl nodded back at her in confirmation and sat upright in his seat, starting his truck as he heard the Winnebago's engine roar to life. Harli leaned her head back on the seat as her ears continued to ring from the many explosions that had taken place. Her head pounded with an oncoming headache and she closed her eyes, feeling the truck beginning to move. Harli opened her eyes and saw the scenery moving by them once again; the truck making a U turn and heading in the direction they had already gone.

They didn't know what to expect from the world now.


	7. Chapter 7

The CDC was a total bust.

After the explosion, the group had headed as far away as possible until night had hit. They pulled off to the side of a small neighborhood, where no Walkers could be seen, and spent the night there. A lot of the group couldn't get very much sleep, but eventually, they did.

Daryl had left his truck to Harli. He said he would be better off sleeping in the bed of his truck anyways. So sleep in the cab of the truck, she did. She only had gotten a few hours of sleep before she had woken up, her eyes wide awake. Unable to go back to sleep, she left the truck and spotted Dale a top the Winnebago. She had convinced him to get some sleep and she had kept watch over everyone that night. No problems with Walkers whatsoever.

The next morning was hell for Harli, she was tired but she knew she would be unable to sleep. There was going to be a lot to do and a lot of traveling ahead of the entire group. One by one she watched as her group woke when the sun rose, readying for their hectic day ahead. After everyone was awake, Rick had called upon them for a meeting to discuss their future travels. He had decided to leave Shane's Jeep, T-Dog's van, and Daryl's truck to save time, gas, and travel. Shane, Daryl and T-Dog obliged with Rick's decision because they knew the three vehicles were gas guzzlers.

Harli helped Glenn and T-Dog carry boxes, bins, and other supplies to the Winnebago and Carol's Cherokee. They were getting ready to set out for Fort Benning, "So you think that Fort Benning's going to be just like the CDC?" Harli asked as T-Dog handed her a box. T-Dog shrugged while grabbing a bin and handing it to Glenn,

"Who knows? If it was anything like the CDC, we're gonna be some unlucky sons of bitches."

"Well maybe it was just as heavily armed as the CDC was. Maybe it's just a giant refugee camp with huge giant guns and lots of great food and some hot water." Glenn expressed as the three began to walk over to the Cherokee to unload their gear. T-Dog looked over at Glenn,

"Yeah, and maybe tomorrow the worlds gonna go back to how it used to be and we can all live happily ever after." Glenn shook his head and sighed,

"It's just a thought, you never know."

"Yeah, but those thoughts can be easily thought of as dreams." Glenn stopped and Harli stood beside him as T-Dog walked off the rest of the way to the Cherokee. Glenn stared at the ground and Harli bumped him with her hip,

"Hey, you alright?"

"I don't know what his problem is. He's been acting weird." Harli watched as T-Dog handed Rick a box. He nodded with a smile and walked off to gather some more supplies that needed to be moved. Daryl walked up to him with a siphon hose and a gas can, changing the man's mind as they had a new task at hand. T-Dog returned to his van and popped open the gas tank,

"I think he's just still upset about yesterday… just give him a bit of space. He'll come around." Harli smiled and Glenn smiled back,

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Harli and Glenn walked up and put their boxes on the tailgate of the Cherokee. Rick turned to them,

"Thanks you two. As soon as T-Dog is done siphoning gas we'll be on our way." The two younger adults nodded and Glenn went to the Winnebago. Harli heard a loud roar and turned to see that Daryl had started up his motorcycle, a small cloud of black smoke escaping the tailpipe. He yanked at the throttle, making it growl louder and louder with every rev of the scruffy engine. Daryl moved in front of the caravan as everyone readied to go, T-Dog finishing the siphoning in his gas. As T-Dog stepped into the Winnebago, Daryl moved past Harli and then stopped, leaning down and checking a few gauges. She crossed her arms,

"I bet you've been waiting to get on this thing for a while. Looks like it's runnin good." Harli said and Daryl nodded, leaning back up on the bike. His rough blue eyes looked over at her,

"Yeah, bet you've been waitin for it as long as I have." Her brow furrowed and her head tilted curiously at his words. He nodded behind him, "Hop on." She stared at the back seat of the bike, contemplating on whether or not she should take the offer. She sighed and looked at him,

"I don't know…"

"You said you always wanted to ride one. This could be your only chance now, you're lucky I'm bein nice enough to ask you."

"You sure?" She asked for confirmation and he nodded. But she read the uncertainty in his eyes as well.

"This is my only offer, either you take it or you don't." He stared at her and she looked back, hearing the engines of the other vehicles roar to life. Harli's gaze fell back onto the bike and she uncrossed her arms, getting on the back of the bike awkwardly. She looked down, finding the pegs to place her feet. She went to wrap her arms around his waist, but she pulled back once again, feeling as if he might not feel comfortable with it. Finding some bars from where she sat, she gripped them as he looked over his shoulder, "You might wanna hold on."

His eyes trailed up to the Winnebago behind him as he looked at Dale, who nodded towards Daryl to start the drive. Daryl revved the bikes throttle, causing goosebumps to roll across Harli's arm with anticipation. The bike shifted in movement under her and she gripped her hands on the bars beside her, feeling it push across the concrete.

The caravan left the small neighborhood and slowly found its way back to the highway. The green scenery flew by in a dash and Harli had a hard time grasping a hold of it all as they roared down the road. Her hair flapped behind her with flicks and twirls, the wind caressing her face softly as it passed her by. The warmth of everything made her smile and she soon found herself forgetting about the world around. The glorious sun and sweet smell of the forest radiated in her senses, fresh air biting at her skin. All she knew at the moment was this bike and Daryl Dixon.

His thick arms hung off the tall handlebars and the recoils of the brute force of the engine vibrated through his muscles. They were tight and clenched to the skin, showing that depth and magnitude of what his muscles have been through over the years. Harli admired them, her eyes narrowing and trailing up and down to his shoulders. He never wore sleeves, and Harli was thankful for that.

Her hands moved on their own and they traced lightly over the angel wings on the biker vest that he wore. _What a contradiction_, she had thought to herself. Daryl was a chaotic man who didn't know what he wanted in life, before and after the world had changed. He wore a mask around the group and he was easily angered by the littlest things. He stomped around acting tough and as if he didn't care what happened to anything and everything around him. But if he honestly didn't care, Harli and most of the group would be dead long ago. He was just a broken boy on the inside, and Harli knew that. He was like a beaten dog that crouched in the corner and snapped at anyone who tried to help him. She felt his pain.

The wings on his back made Harli smile.

He was a broken angel.

Harli felt the bike swerve to the side, scaring her out of her wits as she lurched sideways, seeing the concrete taunting her below them. She latched onto Daryl's torso and gripped it tightly, her face pressing into his back. With her eyes clenched shut, she felt her heart throb against her chest and her arms shaking from the sudden adrenaline. Daryl looked back briefly, then down to his chest, seeing her hands gripping on him for her life. He looked back to the road, his flicking hair blowing away from his face. He wasn't bothered by it in the slightest; it made him feel like her brick keeping her from floating away.

Finally feeling safe, Harli slowly opened her eyes and didn't feel the gritty sensation of her skin skidding across the concrete. She pulled away from him quickly once she realized what she had done and loosened her hands around his waist, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to do that." She said loudly over the thunderous engine of the old Triumph. He turned his head and shook it, an amused expression on his face,

"You ain't hurtin nobody." He shouted back at her reassuringly. Harli smirked and clasped her hands together around his waist, resting her face on his back comfortably. She felt awkward in the position she was in, especially around Daryl because he never showed much of any sign of emotion, except for anger, whatsoever.

"That should be me riding that bike with Harli on the back of it…." Glenn mumbled to himself. Dale looked over at him, then back to the road,

"Why do you say that?" Glenn rubbed his face and looked over at Dale,

"Of all the guys around her age in the camp, she had to go after the only asshole that could give a damn less about anyone else other than himself!" He groaned and slammed his head on the dashboard. Dale reached his hand over and patted Glenn's back,

"Come on now, you just haven't made an effort much to get to know her. Try talking to her more."

Glenn leaned his head over, but didn't say another word.

**.:o:.**

Harli's eyes broke open and she realized she was still on the back of the motorcycle, feeling the wind a bit cooler than before. She looked up all around her and saw the scenery continuing to fly by her, the engine of the bike continuing to roar in her ears. Her gaze fell behind the double wheeled beauty with her hair blowing in her face, seeing the Winnebago and Cherokee close behind, _'So… this isn't a dream.'_

She looked back forward, realizing that she had fallen asleep for a short period of time somehow. A power nap meant that she was no longer tired, her eyes now wide awake and more alert. Harli's eyes narrowed as she heard the throttle off the bike dim and the tires beginning to slow them down on the road. As she looked up over Daryl's shoulder, she saw that the road was completely filled with cars. They grew closer by every second, Harli hearing the engine of the Winnebago slowing behind them as they continued towards the cars. There were turned over semi's, cars lodged into the guardrail, and some stuck in the middle of the median. Daryl slowed his bike completely and turned it around, heading back towards the Winnebago. He stopped and the two looked up at Dale through the small window of the driver's side,

"See a way through!?" He yelled down at them, Daryl looking back and quickly spotting a trail leading into the forest of cars. With a nod, Daryl turned the bike around once again and Harli clenched her hands together as, watching as Daryl expertly maneuvered the motorcycle through the graveyard of cars. Harli's eyes scanned the abandoned vehicles around them, seeing the dead, decaying bodies of the deceased lying in the seats.

Harli heard a loud, ominous pop and she looked over her shoulder, seeing the Winnebago's front end sending up a cloud of white smoke into the air. She tapped on Daryl's shoulder to get his attention and he looked over his own shoulder, watching the Winnebago slowing to a stop. Daryl slowed and turned around once again, stopping his bike next to the Winnebago and shutting off the engine. Harli watched as Dale stared at the grill of the Winnebago, his face clearly frustrated with the faulty machine. Everyone was already out of the other vehicles and crowded around along with Dale. Harli was the first to step off the bike, Daryl not far behind her as he swung his boot over the seat and landed on level ground. Harli stood next to Glenn and watched as Daryl began to rummage through the back of a car,

"Can't find a radiator hose here." Shane said as he scanned his surroundings, his trusty shotgun in hand. Daryl grabbed a backpack and ripped it open,

"Whole buncha stuff here we can find."

"Siphon more fuel from these cars for a start." T-Dog grabbed a gas can and walked over to a car. Carol held onto Sophia,

"Maybe some water?"

"Food and clothing, too. Best place we can manage until we find something descent." Harli crossed her arms and looked around, seeing the potential sea of supplies all around them. Lori placed her hands on her hips,

"This is a graveyard…" Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her. She shrugged a shoulder and looked at Rick, "I don't know how I feel about this…" As if Lori hadn't said anything at all, everyone began to walk around the cars to search and scavenge for supplies,

"Alright, come on ya'll, just look around and gather what you can." Shane said as everyone began to walk off in different directions. Dale stationed himself above the Winnebago to keep a lookout as he scanned the radius around them with his binocular and made Glenn fix the radiator.

Harli walked out into the mix of the cars, her hand hovering over the pistol on her leg just in case she ran into trouble. There were a few dead bodies on the ground as she approached a large truck, Harli eyeing them cautiously in her approach. She warily stretched out her leg and tapped them with her foot to get a reaction out of the corpses. With a soft kick, the bodies still didn't stir or rise to their feet, Harli making the judgment that they were indeed dead. Safely, Harli then approached the vehicle and took a look around it. She opened the front door, seeing nothing but garbage and cigarette butts littering the seat and floorboards. With the close of the door, she walked towards the back of the truck staring at the tailgate. She unlatched it and let it down, noticing a black tarp concealed some unknown contents in the back. Harli took a deep breath and ripped the tarp out of the back of the truck, staring curiously at a few items.

She crawled up on the tailgate, seeing giant, black, military-like bags occupying the small space. Harli then grabbed one of them and zipped it open, seeing hordes of clothing inside. Tossing it out onto the ground, she kept rummaging around to find more goodies. With a couple liter jugs of water and another couple bags of clothes, another bag then caught her eye, making her stop. It looked oddly familiar, and without hesitation, she grabbed it and jumped out of the truck, setting it down on the tailgate. It was a large gun bag.

Harli unzipped it and ripped it open, only to find nothing of interest inside. A sigh of discontent escaped her lips and she tossed the bag aside to the concrete below. Harli froze briefly when she heard a clank come from the bag upon impact on the ground, her eyes trailing down to it. She curiously knelt down, opening it once more to see a large object wrapped in a black towel she never noticed before. Her hands pulled it out and unwrapped the flaps of the towel, her eyes widening in awe at the object. She rubbed the camouflage finish on it and looked up, scanning her sights for any sign Daryl. Harli then spotted him fumbling through a large suitcase,

"Hey Daryl!" She watched as he looked up, his eyes narrowing at her from a distance. She waved her hand towards him for him to go over and he hesitated to do so, but soon dropped what he was doing and made his way over. He shouldered his crossbow's strap as he got close, seeing that there was no danger around them. Harli grabbed the bag and placed it on the tailgate,

"What'd you find?" He asked while staring at the large black bag. She smiled and looked down at the bag,

"This." She pulled out a long compound bow out of the bag, showing it off him. He took it with curiosity and looked it over, his hands tracing over the fine camouflage finish. He pulled back on the bowstring, aiming it and looking through its sights,

"Looks like a Prestige. It has a pretty heavy drawback to it. Whoever owned it was probably a pretty good sized guy." He let the bowstring back to its original position slowly, careful not to break the limbs of it in a dry-fire, "You scored pretty nicely with this. Probably the best style of bow you can find round these parts. Any arrows?" He nodded towards the bag and Harli shook her head disappointingly,

"No, I didn't see any. I'll look around the truck more for them, though."

"No problem if you don't find any, not hard to make 'em. Keep an eye out around you, never know if Walkers will pop outta these cars," She nodded and watched as Daryl walked off in front of the truck, Harli jumping in the back once again to tear everything out of the back. She looked through each and every bag and still couldn't find any arrows for the bow that she had found. With a deep sigh, she sat on the tailgate and rubbed her head with her hands.

There was a tense silence around her and Harli narrowed her eyes, not hearing voices of the other members of the group. Her eyes looked over the sea of cars and she soon spotted the culprit of all the silence around her. Her heart dropped in the pit of her stomach upon the sight, her adrenaline surging through her veins in a matter of seconds. A large horde of Walkers made their way towards her, their bodies bumping up against cars with almost every step they took. She noticed Dale lying down on top of the Winnebago and the others had disappeared, finding refuge among the many vehicles. Harli jumped off the tailgate and stumbled against a car, her heart pounding in her ears with a bit of panic. Her breathing was unsteady and she swallowed a hard lump down her throat as her mind quickly tried to figure out what to do. She slowly made her way back towards the Winnebago, trying to find an adequate hiding place and sliding up against cars to keep out of sight. Harli then stopped, seeing T-Dog unaware of the danger approaching them both,

"T-Dog!" She whispered loudly, careful not to alert any Walkers of their presence. He looked over at her and she put her finger to her mouth to tell him to keep silent while pointing towards the horde overtaking the highway. T-Dog's eyes fell on the herd and he began to panic, slamming himself up against the car and leaning down to hide. Harli's eyes widened and she let out a sharp gasp, watching as his arm sliced open by a sharp piece of metal sticking out from the doorframe. The blood poured from his arm profusely and he sat down out of shock, his eyes glazing over after seeing the blood. Harli knelt down and ran over to him, grabbing his arm and hoisting him up, "Come on!"

Pools of blood dripped from his arm and elbow, Harli looking over her shoulder to see how far off the danger was. They were closing in on them fast and Harli found the entrance to a small, enclosed area of vehicles. As Harli turned around to speak with T-Dog, she noticed he was gone and nowhere to be seen. Her eyes darted around the vehicles frantically, spotting him leaning against another car and staring back at the Walkers approaching. Harli took a deep breath and took a cautious look at the Walkers, knowing she would have to move fast to get him to some type of safety.

As Harli moved forward, she felt a strong arm around her waist and a hand clasp on her mouth, yanking her backwards. A muffled yelp escaped from Harli's mouth through the fingers pressed against her lips, Harli feeling the cold steel of a car against her back as she was leaned up against it. Her bright green, frightened eyes stared into Daryl's blue irises, seeing them calm, cool, and collected. He pulled his hand from her mouth and she breathed frantically, "Stay quiet and find a place to hide. You're gonna get your ass killed at this rate."

"B-but T-Dog, I have to help him-" She whispered back, pointing over to show him where exactly T-Dog was. Daryl followed the path of her finger where he had already spotted T-Dog before grabbing Harli,

"I'll go. Get under this truck and stay there." His raspy voice demanded and Harli nodded, watching as he stalked the Walkers that were now hunting T-Dog. Harli closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady her nerves, opening them and hastily crawling under the low truck behind her. She pulled her knife out, just in case she had to use it, and pressed her steaming cheek against the cold concrete. Her ears picked up the sound of movement and Harli continued to look out from under the truck, seeing stumbling feet making their way past her. Wanting to know what was going on, her eyes soon found Daryl as watched him stab back of a Walkers head before it had gotten to T-Dog. He hauled the body over T-Dog's to muffle his scent, a quick and desperate decision the crossbow wielder had made. Daryl ripped another body out of a car and placed it on top of his own just as the Walkers began to crowd around them.

As more and more feet shuffled past her, Harli pushed herself further under the vehicle to avoid giving off too much of her scent. She put her hand over her mouth to quiet herself as she tried to steady her breathing. Her eyes clenched shut and she let out a soft breath, moving her hand under her head to rest it as her neck muscles began to wear out.

Daryl looked out from under the body on top of him, staring at Harli as she watched the many feet pass her. He tried to steady his own breathing as he kept an eye on his two counterparts, making sure no harm came to either of them. He didn't know why he felt so protective towards her. She was a part of the group, but she was a lot more interesting in the rest because she actually took an initiative to get to know him. He couldn't find the heart to be angry towards her either. It made him feel incredibly odd because he didn't know what was going on in his own head. Maybe it was because they were so much like each other.

It had felt like an eternity, but as fast as they appeared, they were gone.

Harli slowly poked her head out from under the truck, not seeing any more Walkers approaching. She crawled out from under the vehicle and stood up, sheathing her knife safely at her side. A shriek came from behind her and she turned, trying to find the source of the frightened cry. A small flash of white jumped in the corner of her eye and Harli quickly noticed Sophia running off into the woods, Rick not far behind her. Harli's feet moved out from under her as she ran as quickly as she could towards the Winnebago.

Daryl threw the decomposing body to the side and stood up, yanking the other off T-Dog quickly. Daryl handed him a rag and grabbed his good arm, hoisting T-Dog to his feet. Daryl pulled his arm over his shoulder and mostly dragged T-Dog along towards the Winnebago. He watched as Harli grabbed onto Carol once the woman tried to go after Rick and her daughter. Carol cried and put her hands to her mouth, falling to her knees in a panic. Harli hugged her from behind, reassuring that her daughter was going to be okay. Daryl heard T-Dog's breathing becoming shallow and he set T-Dog down next to the Winnebago, Harli taking notice to his appearance,

"I'll watch after her," Lori walked up with Carl, kneeling down next to Carol. Harli nodded and hesitantly left Carol to her suffering, walking over to the Winnebago as Dale studied the wound on T-Dog's forearm,

"That's a seriously deep wound. We need to bind it up quickly he's losing a lot of blood." Dale rubbed his head, not knowing exactly what to do about the situation. T-Dog panted from sheer exhaustion and blood loss and he groaned, arching his back from the pain. Harli watched with grief, feeling as if it was her fault he had gotten the deep wound in the first place. She looked at Dale,

"Have a first aid kit?" Dale nodded and walked into the Winnebago to retrieve it. Harli knelt down next to T-Dog,

"I'm sorry T. This wouldn't have happened if I would've alerted you beforehand," T-Dog's head rolled towards her, his eyes glazed over

"Don't try to put the blame on… on yourself… it could've happened to anyone…. Better me than you…" Harli turned to see Dale walking back out of the Winnebago, the first aid kit in hand. She took it and opened it up, taking out rubbing alcohol, bandages, gauze, and medical tape,

"I'm going to go keep watch. Make sure there's no there's visitors sneaking up on us." Dale said and walked to the back of the Winnebago, climbing up the ladder and posting himself up top. Harli looked up at Daryl, who was leaning against the Winnebago,

"You might wanna hold him down. This is going to hurt." Daryl looked down at T-Dog, biting on his lower lip. Daryl then pushed his arm up against T-Dog's chest and held down him down, grabbing T-Dog's other arm to keep him from failing. Harli popped the cap off the bottle of rubbing alcohol and she gave T-Dog one last look, seeing him nodding at her to go along with it. She grabbed his forearm and pulled it down, tipping the lip of the bottle and pouring the medical liquid over the wound. T-Dog jumped and kicked, making Harli draw back from him as he thrashed from the pain. Daryl gritted his teeth and pushed against T-Dog, trying to hold him down,

"Stop bein such a damn pussy!" Daryl said through clenched teeth, keeping T-Dog down as best he could. Harli grabbed a rag and began to wipe the blood and alcohol off his wound softly, not wanting to cause her friend anymore pain. T-Dog began to calm as he panted and sat motionless in the chair, his arm becoming numb from the pain. Harli looked at Daryl and he stood up straight, leaning back against the Winnebago.

Harli didn't have any thread or a needle to stitch up the large wound, so she had to improvise with medical tape and gauze. She padded the wound with gauze and wrapped the medical tape all around his arm in order to keep it steady. Daryl moved to hold him down again, but T-Dog only clenched a fist and drew in a large, much needed breath. With the wound finally dressed properly, Harli turned her head over her shoulder and stared into the forest.

"Stupid girl runnin off in the woods like that," Daryl walked up next to Harli and she looked over to him,

"It's not her fault she was scared. I would've done the same thing."

"Yeah but you're an adult, she's not." Daryl made a point and heard footsteps behind them, the two turning to see Glenn and Shane walking up to the Winnebago. Glenn looked down at T-Dog, then back to Harli,

"Is he alright?"

"Yeah. He got cut pretty bad when the horde came through, I patched him up but… it'll only last for so long."

"Rick come back yet?" Shane asked, looking off into the forest,

"Nah, hasn't come back with the girl neither," Daryl shook his head at Shane. Shane sighed and dropped his head, then looked back up at them both,

"I reckon we're gonna have to go look for him, he could be in trouble. I'm gonna need your trackin skills, Daryl." Daryl nodded in agreement,

"You got em."

"I'll go with you guys," Glenn volunteered and Harli nodded along with him,

"Me too, he could've encountered a large problem."

"Alright well then let's get going, it's gonna be getting dark out here soon." Shane walked forward, the others following after him. Harli stopped by Carol and bent down, placing a hand on her shoulder and Carol's red eyes stared up at her,

"We're going to find her. Don't worry, Carol." Carol didn't say a word and Harli jumped over the guardrail behind Glenn.

They walked through the woods and Daryl kept a good track on Rick's footprints. They led further and further into the forest, the small group keeping their eyes out around them for any sign of Walkers. A loud rustle came from the bushes and everyone aimed their weapons, ready for whatever came out at them. But out stepped Rick, out of breath and staring down the barrels and arrows of his group members. Harli, Shane, Glenn, and Daryl lowered their weapons upon the sight of Rick, Harli's heart dropped when she saw no sign of Sophia.

Shane gave him a look and Rick shook his head. "I can't find her. I left her by the creek side, but she was gone by the time I killed the Walkers and got back to it."

"Well take me down to the creek bed; I'll track her from there."

"Right." Rick nodded and turned around, leading Daryl down to the creek bed through a set of small trees. The two jumped into the water and Daryl scanned the surrounding area, including the tree roots she was hidden in,

"You sure this is the spot?" He asked as he looked up at Rick a bit skeptically. Rick walked over and pointed in the tree roots,

"I left her right here… I drew the Walkers way off in that direction, up the creek." He pointed up the creek bed and Daryl stood up, looking at the soft dirt.

"A lot to look through, seems from where we landed."

"She was gone by the time I got back here. I figured she just took off and ran back to the group." Rick began to become frustrated as he pointed at the trail they had jumped down, "I told her to go that way and keep the sun on her left shoulder!" Daryl moved towards the muddy trail and scanned it. Daryl then looked at Glenn as he stood over him,

"Hey short round, why don't you step off to the other side, you're muckin' up the trail." Daryl shooed him away and Glenn heeded his word and stepped into the bushes, out of his way. Shane doubtfully shook his head as he looked around,

"Seems she had a hard time listenin' to your direction here,"

"Shane, she understood me fine!"

"She gets tired and scared man. She had a close call with two Walkers. Kinda makes me wonder of how much you said to her stuck." Shane and Rick stared at each other ruefully and Harli put her hand out,

"Hey, come on guys this isn't the time to start getting over worked, let's just concentrate on our task at hand here."

"There's a clear set of prints right here… she did what you said and headed back to the highway. So we should spread out!" Daryl whirled his hand in the direction she took. Harli walked up and lent him her hand, pulling him up the bank. Harli followed after Daryl as if he were a bloodhound following a scent, watching his interesting movements as he tracked. He carefully followed Sophia's small tracks and Harli walked off to one side, careful not to contaminate the evidence. Harli stopped behind Daryl as he knelt down, staring confusingly at the ground,

"She was doin' just fine till right here… all she had to do was keep goin', she veered off that way." He pointed to his far right. Glenn looked at the trail,

"Why would she do that?"

"Maybe something spooked her? Another Walker?" Harli asked. Daryl shook his head,

"I don't see any other footprints… just hers." Shane sighed and stared at the footprints,

"So what do we do? All us press on?" He looked up at Rick. Rick shook his head,

"No. Better if you, Glenn, and Harli headed back up to the others. People are gonna start panicking. Let them know we're on her trail, doin' everything we can but most of all keep everybody calm." Shane nodded and looked down,

"I'll keep 'em busy scavenging cars; think up a few other chores. I'll keep 'em occupied. Come on, Glenn, Harli," Shane nodded over his shoulder and he turned and walked off. Harli desperately wanted to stay, but she knew Rick, and even Daryl, wouldn't approve of it. She looked back at the two pairs of blue eyes that stared at her and nodded,

"Good luck."


	8. Chapter 8

Harli walked around the graveyard of cars, scavenging for more meager supplies. She grabbed the large gun bag she had found in the back of the truck and used it to carry whatever she found. Most of the group saw the new, fresh clothes that Harli had found, their happiness for clean clothes went unbounded. Harli stopped at the driver's side of a car door and pulled it open, popping the latch to the trunk and hearing it click open. She then moved around towards the back and pulled the hatch open, seeing a large case of bottle water. Setting the case of water on the ground, Harli turned and waved for Glenn as he stood next to the Winnebago, "Glenn! Hey, come over here!"

Glenn heard her and handed Dale a screwdriver, jogging over towards Harli as she rummaged around through the trunk some more, "What do you need?" He asked and watched as she yanked out a toolbox and a small first aid kit, shutting the trunk of the car. She held the toolbox and first aid kit, with the duffle bag over her shoulder,

"Can you help me out here? I'm not Hulk I can't carry it all." Glenn let out a small laugh and grabbed the case of water,

"Yeah of course. Where'd you find that bow?" He asked and they began to walk back to the Winnebago, nodding towards it as it hung from a makeshift strap off her shoulder,

"Found it in a truck. No arrows though… so it's basically useless right now." Harli shrugged and Glenn nodded, looking at the ground while contemplating on what to say. He looked back at her,

"So what's with you and Daryl?" Harli's eyebrows knitted as she stopped, staring at Glenn,

"What do you mean?" She asked and Glenn stopped, looking over towards Dale, then back at Harli,

"I don't know… it just seems that you and him are getting kinda close, like…. I don't know. You ride with him in his truck, on his motorcycle, I mean… why hangout with a guy like him?"

"Why is it such a problem, Glenn?" Harli asked, placing a hand on her hip. Glenn shrugged his shoulders and gave her a look of concern,

"Look, I'm just looking out for you okay? Daryl's a loose cannon, and we all don't know what he's capable of." Harli smirked to herself,

"Look Glenn, I appreciate you looking out for me and all, but I seriously don't think Daryl's all what you guys think he is. He's just another person trying to survive, just like you and me. I've dealt with convicts much worse than him. Murderers, rapists, arsonists, I've dealt with everything. He's really not all that bad of a guy, just has some anger problems." She defended and Glenn swallowed a hard lump down his throat, avoiding her green eyed gaze. Harli walked up and put a hand on his shoulder, tilting her head down,

"Glenn, it's gonna be okay. Just don't worry about me, alright?"

"I'll try." He meekly walked back to the Winnebago and Harli sighed to herself, wiping her forehead with her arm. She grabbed the duffle bags and toolbox, stopping for a brief moment as Shane and Andrea moved a large SUV out from in front of the Winnebago. She then dropped her supplies as Carol walked up to the rest of the group,

"Why aren't all we all out there lookin? Why are we movin cars…?" Dale looked at Carol,

"Well we have to clear enough room so when the time comes I can turn the RV around as soon as it's runnin. Now that we have fuel we can double back to a bypass that Glenn flagged on the map." Glenn and Harli walked up, along with Lori and Carl. They stopped,

"We're not goin anywhere until my daughter gets back." Carol argued and Lori walked up, putting a hand on Carol's shoulder,

"That goes without saying."

"Don't worry Carol, Rick and Daryl are on it. It's just a matter of time before they bring her back safe to your arms." Harli smiled reassuringly and Carol's jaw tightened as she crossed her arms, not knowing what to do with herself. Andrea walked up and tossed Glenn a water bottle,

"Hopefully it's soon enough. I'm still freaked out by that herd that passed us by. Or whatever you'd call it." She opened the water bottle and took a drink of it. Glenn looked at Harli, then to Shane,

"Yeah, what was that? All of them just marching along like that?"

"Herd? That sounds about right. Now we've seen it, the night camp got attacked. Just a wandering pack, only fewer." Shane stated and Harli looked over at him,

"I don't know about calling them a pack or herd, maybe a horde. Like I said before, they're running on pure, animalistic instinct with only certain brain functions, meaning that they have a pack mentality which makes it easier to find food in large numbers."

"That's a good way of putting it. They're just like a ravenous pack of wolves, huh?" Glenn looked over at Harli and she nodded in agreement. The four looked at each other in an awkward silence before Shane put his head down,

"Alright, come on people, we still gotta lot to do, let's stay up."

"Come on Glenn, let's go move some cars," Harli said with a small wave for him to follow. Andrea walked up,

"How bout I steer and you guys push?" She offered and Harli and Glenn looked at each other,

"Yeah sure, let's go." Glenn stated as the three walked up to another large SUV, Andrea looking around in the car to make sure it was safe. She put the truck in drive and jumped in, leaving the door open,

"Alright, ready when you two are!" She called from the driver's seat. Harli and Glenn shoved the back of the truck with all their might, only moving it a few inches with slow, rolling tires. Harli leaned her body against it as it continued at an even pace,

"Come on Glenn is that all you got!?" Harli asked with a smile, causing Glenn looked over at her,

"What do you mean, you saying I'm weak!?" Harli laughed to herself and shoved her shoulder against the truck, pushing with more intensity. Glenn pouted, "It is what you're saying!" Glenn gritted his teeth and shoved his hands against the truck, gripping his sneakers on the ground and using every muscle he could. The truck rolled faster and Harli stepped back, Glenn not noticing that she stopped pushing. She could hear strained grunts coming from him as her shoved himself against the truck like a football player blocking his quarterback. Finally, the truck gave way to the median and crashed into a car below, Glenn panting and putting his hands on his hips. He looked back at Harli, who smiled at him,

"Good job Glenn!" He couldn't help but smile as well as walking up to her,

"That was your elaborate plan? Get me all riled up by making fun of me?" Harli shrugged,

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" They heard a car start up and looked into the median, seeing Shane inside a smaller sub compact SUV. A loud, scratchy noise of static sounded over the radio and then, out of nowhere, a voice spoke to them, giving a fair warning of what was going on around them. Harli, Glenn, and Dale walked up to the car curiously, listening to the statements of the man's voice,

'_Double broadcasting will cease immediately. This is a simple over two signal-'_

"Is that a local signal?" Glenn asked with curiosity and Dale looked up around them as if he were looking for something,

"It's gotta be within…. Fifty miles of here?"

'_Everyone remain calm…. Help is on the way…'_ Even recording of the man's voice was uncertain. Everyone stared at each other as the broadcast went on,

"Do you think it's automated or someone's actually out there trying to perform the broadcast?" Harli asked, but didn't get an answer from anyone. Shane reached inside the vehicle and shut the car off, the recorded broadcast going dead. Shane sighed to himself, then shut the door,

"Come on ya'll, let's get back to work."

**.:o:.**

The sun was going down and nighttime darkness soon would envelop the group. Daryl and Rick still hadn't returned from their trail on finding Sophia, making Harli worry for their safety. She couldn't imagine how Carol must've been feeling at the moment. Did they find Sophia dead? Many questions flooded Harli's mind, making her grow a small headache in her brain. Part of her wished she had stayed with Daryl and Rick so she could've at least tried to help instead of trying to find things to do around the highway graveyard. Harli continued to stand by Glenn, watching as he and Dale were fixing the Winnebago.

"Anyone check on T-Dog lately?" Dale stuck his hand in the front of the grill as he tried to reach for something,

"Yeah, last time I checked he was passed out in the RV. Blood loss really took it out of him." Harli looked over to see Andrea trying to comfort Carol as she stared blindly into the forest. Lori and Carl returned from another scavenging mission, setting down large bags of canned food, water, and clothing.

"I really hope they find her… I don't know how we're going to deal with situation if they don't." Glenn whispered, careful in his tone so no one else would hear. Harli looked over at him,

"They will. You heard Daryl, she ran off in another direction, they could've found her and be on their way back as they speak."

"Where's my gun?" They turned upon hearing a familiar voice and Andrea walked up, placing her hands on her hips. Dale turned to confront her, "You have no right to take it."

"Oh boy," Glenn whispered again and he and Harli turned around, leaving Andrea to chew out poor Dale. They stopped and leaned on a car, watching as Shane walked up to mediate the argument. Glenn crossed his arms and sighed,

"I feel bad for Dale, he always gets the brute of her frustration." Harli shook her head,

"I guess that's just the way it's gonna have to be. Andrea needs to stop being all pissy about not having a gun, she can't even shoot it to save her life." Harli narrowed her eyes, glaring at Andrea as she argued with Shane and Dale. Glenn shook his head as well as he watched the argument heat up. They heard footsteps and watched as Lori walked up with a couple crates filled with more supplies,

"Glenn, you mind takin this?" She asked politely and Glenn smiled with a nod, grabbing the top crate out of her grasp.

"Sure." He walked back over towards the Winnebago to set the crate down next to all the other supplies. Harli looked to Lori as she saw a brief expression of fatigue hit her face,

"Here Lori, I'll take it. You should rest up, you've been working all day." She grabbed the handles and softly pulled it from her hands. Lori smiled,

"Thank you," She rubbed her hands from the soreness the heavy handles had caused. Harli turned right behind Glenn, but then he stopped, setting the crate on the ground,

"Oh god… they're back!" Everyone ran over to the guardrail as Rick walked up, Daryl in tow. Rick was sweaty with blood all over his white shirt and he stepped over the guardrail, staring into all the eyes that stared back at him. Carol ran up, her breathing become fast and unsteady when she didn't see her daughter with them. Harli stood next to Carol, grabbing Carol's arm,

"You… you couldn't find her?" Carol's heart dropped from the middle of her chest. Rick shook his head hesitantly, not wanting to bring the bad news to her,

"Her trail went cold… we'll pick it up again at first light."

"You can't just leave my daughter out there on her own… to spend the night alone in the woods…" Harli rubbed Carol's shoulder as she shook her head back and forth. Daryl's raspy, exhausted voice made Harli looked at him,

"Lookin' in the darks no good… we'd just be trippin' over ourselves. More people'd get lost." Carol began to grow even more frantic as the two men refused to go back in the woods and find her daughter,

"But she's only twelve! She can't be out there on her own! You didn't find _anything_!?" By this time, Lori grabbed her around the shoulders, trying to help Harli calm her down. Rick put his hands up,

"I know this is hard, but I'm asking you not to panic. We know she was out there!"

"And we tracked her for a while." Daryl stepped forward, trying to make her feel better. Rick continued,

"And we have to make this an organized effort. Daryl knows the woods better than anybody. I've asked him to oversee this." Carol lost her attention as she stared at their bloody clothing. She saw the blood on Daryl's pant legs and her breathing became shallow,

"Is…. Is that blood?" She began to pant as Daryl looked down at his boot, and then looked back up to Rick. His eyes were asking Rick on what he should do or say, not knowing how to take on the situation. Rick put his hand on Carol's shoulder,

"We took down a Walker. There was no sign it was anywhere near Sophia…" Carol paced and stopped for a couple moments, and then continued to pace. Harli looked over at Rick,

"How did you know for sure?" Rick looked down, and then back at Daryl. Carol looked at them with pleading eyes as she tried to grasp onto the fact that her daughter was still out in the woods. Daryl looked at Harli when Rick couldn't find the words,

"We cut the son'bitch open… made sure." Carol closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. Harli sat her down on the guardrail and Lori sat down with her, rubbing a hand on the frantic woman's back. Harli and Daryl exchange brief eye contact before Harli looked back down at Carol. She seemed somewhat relieved, but then Carol grew agitated, looking up at Rick,

"How could you, just leave her out there to begin with? How could you just leave her!?"

"Those Walkers were on us. I had to draw them off, it was our best chance!"

"Sounds like he didn't have a choice, Carol," Shane said, standing next to Rick defensively and trying to calm her down. Carol's eyes began to water,

"How is she supposed to find her way back on her own…? She's just a child!" Harli couldn't take the conversation any longer and she stepped away, walking over towards a car and staring down the end of the highway. The cars were like a sea that didn't end and reached even farther beyond her own eyesight. She looked over and saw Rick walking away with frustration in his step, his hand running through his hair. She sighed and looked up at the sky, knowing that the next few days were going to be hell.

**.:o:.**

Daryl shut the Winnebago door as everyone began to go to sleep, or try to, at least. He was barely tired and continued to think about Sophia and her whereabouts. He could act like he didn't care much about some girl, but he felt as if it was his duty to find her. He had been in her position when he was a child, and he knew how daunting the forest can be when you don't know your way around it. He walked over to his bike and flipped open the one of the saddlebags. His hands rummaged around in it for a moment and then stopped, seeing the white lily pop up out of nowhere. Forgetting what he was looking for, he grabbed the lily and stared at it for a few moments, noticing that the petals were becoming withered and it was slowly dying.

"Hey Daryl." He looked up over his shoulder, seeing Dale standing on top of the Winnebago with his rifle in hand. Daryl looked back down at the flower as he put it back in the saddle bag, snapping the strap shut. He stood up and turned around, staring up at Dale,

"Hey,"

"Shouldn't you be getting off to bed soon? It's getting late the moon's getting pretty high."

"Yeah I guess so. Just tryin to put some piece together before tomorrow. It's gonna be a long day." Dale nodded and looked up around out in the sea of cars,

"Yeah, you can say that again…" He sighed to himself then looked back down at Daryl, "Hey, have you seen Harli lately?"

"No, why? She missin' too?" Daryl asked and Dale shook his head, looking back out once again and pointing straight,

"She headed out that way after you guys came back. I talked to Rick and he hadn't seen her, Glenn, or Shane, no one. I keep looking through the binoculars and the rifle scope but I just can't find her anywhere. I just hoped nothing happened." Daryl looked out in the direction that Dale pointed. Daryl let out a sigh and turned, unhooking his crossbow off the motorcycle,

"Well I guess I'll go look for her."

"You sure? I can always go."

"Nah, it's cool. I'll go find her and bring her back before it gets too late." Daryl strode off out into the cars without another word from him, nor Dale.

He walked for over half a mile and there was still no sign of Harli. He looked in all the cars he could and even checked the dead bodies on the ground, but he couldn't find a sign of her whereabouts. He couldn't track her on the asphalt either, making him chew on the inside of his cheek a bit nervously, "Damn girl…" He growled to himself and walked on, staring up at the moon as it has risen higher into the sky. He scanned his surroundings until something caught his eye; A large silhouette of a figure on top of a truck. He pulled up his crossbow and slowly stalked towards it, his eyes staring down the scoped sights. He jumped forward and aimed, finger on the trigger while waiting for the figure to move. His eyes narrowed as he stared down the barrel of the pistol in Harli's hand,

"You gonna pull the trigger?" He asked staring at her darkened face. Harli pulled her gun back and Daryl lowered his crossbow,

"What're you doin out here this late?" She asked, putting her pistol back in the holster strapped to her leg. Daryl put his crossbow on the hood of the truck, jumping up to the top where she sat,

"I could ask you the same thing." He said and she crossed her legs, fiddling with something in her hand. She tilted her head and looked at him,

"I asked you first."

"Dale said you hadn't come back for a while. Got all worried bout you bein' out her by your lonesome." He said while staring at her briefly. She rested her head on her hand and sighed,

"He doesn't need to worry about me too much."

"Don't matter if you say that, he don't know if you're in trouble or not." Daryl said, leaning back on his hands that rested behind him. Harli only shrugged her shoulders and said nothing as she played with a long piece of grass, twiddling it around on the paint of the truck. Daryl knitted his eyebrows as he watched her. She usually was the one that engaged conversation with him, but it felt slightly strange for it to be the other way around, "What's your problem?" He asked, both a bit calm and agitated by her not responding much to him. She tossed the piece of grass down the windshield,

"Sophia, she's out there by herself… I mean, I know you and Rick did your absolute best to try and track her down…. It… it just bothers me… that's all."

"It botherin' you that much that you're sittin' out here all depressed away from everyone else? We'll find her, you don't have to worry much about it." He said as Harli sat up straight and stared out into the car-like abyss,

"I mentally suffocate when I'm around a large number people too long and I need to go away from people to think, especially when I get depressed because I don't know what to do with myself most of the time," She shifted her weight and turned, facing him, "I just think that I could've done more or gone after her when it happened. I just wish the Walkers would've seen me and I would be in her position and she could be comfortable with Carol in her arms right now." Daryl stared at her and shook his head, narrowing his eyes,

"It would be the same if you were out there in them woods fightin' for your life. We would be out there lookin' for you in the same matter we are with that little girl…"

"But it wouldn't be the same… I have a gun and a knife, I'm armed and know how to fight off the world around me… Sophia… she's just a kid. She has no weapons; she has an entire life ahead of her and she has Carol." Harli rubbed her head in frustration as her eyes began to water, jumbling her hair in her hand. Daryl leaned forward which caught Harli's eyes, he stared at her, a hard look on his face,

"Kickin' your ass over the matter ain't gonna bring her back. What's done is done, and you can't do nothin' about it. Now wipe those damn tears off your face and buck up." The words hit her like a brick and she looked down. She knew he was right, that there was nothing she could've done with the situation. It would've just ended the same, with Sophia in the woods by herself. Daryl had cheered her up in the most unusual way, but she guessed it was just part of that certain charm he displayed that she had become accustomed to. She smiled to herself,

"Thanks… I guess I needed that."

"Someone's gotta keep you in your right mind." He huffed and looked away. Harli took a long needed breath and looked over at him,

"You should probably go and get off to sleep. You're gonna need it."

"Psh, don't worry about me, you're the one that needs to get sleep. You stay up all night and all day, I'm surprised you're up and walkin'." Harli smiled and looked out into her surroundings, playing with a shoelace,

"I have insomnia. Can't really sleep much, especially when I'll I do is think and think. Besides, I usually take short naps during the day when I can." She heard his amused, raspy voice enter her ears, making her turn her head,

"Like you sleepin' like a baby on the bike earlier today? Never seen that happen before." Harli felt her face heat up, but thanks to the darkness and the faint lighting of the moon, Daryl couldn't make fun of her for it,

"Sorry…. I didn't mean to it was just soothing and I couldn't help it." She laughed under her breath,

"What's so soothin' bout ridin a bike? It's loud and bumpy, far from a comfy ol' bed." Harli rubbed her face and then ran her fingers through her hair. Daryl watched as her green eyes seemed to glow in the slight darkness,

"I don't know… it was just soothing to me. It was the first time I was on a bike… it felt like I was meant to be on one." Harli stared at Daryl's blue eyes and time seemed to stop. She read his eyes and they were clouded with uncertainty and discomfort. Harli could see everything, a broken boy with no sense of direction for himself. She finally broke the staring that was binding between them, "You know, you're really not a bad guy, Daryl." Shifting with discomfort and having no cue on how to take the compliment, Daryl scoffed,

"Yeah right, not much to me but some backwoods hick." He stood up on top of the truck and jumped down to the ground. He grabbed his crossbow and Harli stared at him as he looked up with a nod towards the Winnebago,

"Come on. I told Dale I'd bring you back with me."

"Alright, I'm starting to get a bit tired anyways." Harli stood up and slip down the windshield onto the hood. Her feet finally met with the concrete and Daryl gave one last glance at her before they walked off back to camp. After a good, half mile walk with a comfortable silence between them, the Winnebago was in sight and Harli stared as she saw Dale watching them come forward out of the forest of cars through his trusty binoculars. She watched as he lowered his binoculars once they walked closer,

"Well, looks like we've got a long day tomorrow." She said while looking up at him. Daryl nodded,

"Yeah, trackin's gonna be a pain in the ass, but we've got more time tomorrow than the chance we had today." The two stopped and he looked down at her with a reassuring nod, "We're gonna find her."

"I know, I believe you." She put her hands up to his face, and once he took notice, he closed his eyes and flinched slightly as if he thought Harli was going to smack him. His muscles tightened but he grew confused when he didn't feel any pain coming from his face. He felt a warm sensation on his cheek, not that of a sting, but the warmth of a small breath and lips of another human being. He opened his eyes and saw Harli drawing back, her lips parted slightly. She smiled, "That's for good luck." She gave one last look at him and turned back towards the Winnebago, seeing Dale look down at her,

"It's about time you came back; I was starting to get worried,"

"Sorry Dale, just out staring at the moon and thinking about what's going on tomorrow. But I'm gonna go to bed now, I'll see you in the morning." She waved to him and quietly opened the door, stepping in and grabbing a blanket from a cabinet. She walked over to the passenger's seat and laid it back for a comfortable sleep. With a deep sigh, she lied down on it and tossed the blanket over herself, curling up to try to get some shut eye.

Outside, Daryl walked up and saw a smug smile on Dale's face as the old man stared down at him. Daryl narrowed his eyes and his attitude became somewhat irritated,

"What're you starin' at old man?" He asked accusingly and Dale shook his head, his white smile gleaming,

"Nothing, nothing at all,"

"Well if it ain't nothin' then why don't you just mind your own damn business and wipe that stupid, smug smirk off your face and do your job up there." Daryl stomped off out behind the Winnebago and Cherokee, disappearing from sight. Dale only chuckled to himself and shook his head, sitting down on the lawn chair to keep watch over his group. Daryl stopped and stared at the ground, his thumb trailing over the cheek where Harli had placed her lips. He closed his eyes and got lost in his deep, complicated thoughts.


	9. Chapter 9

_Harli walked down a white hallway with two escorts by her side. Her hair was pinned up on the back of her head and she wore a tight black skirt along with a white blouse with tall, black high heels clasped on her feet. A pair of slightly thick rimmed, square glasses situated themselves on the bridge of her nose and a soft glare of pink lip gloss glistened off her lips. She came to a door and one of her escorts pulled out a card, swiping it through a security card slide. A ring sounded and the door opened from an automated button a guard had pushed on the other side of the door. The three entered the room and Harli pulled off her glasses, setting them down on a table cluttered with papers and books. Harli walked up to a man clad in a grey suit staring through a one sided window,_

"_Good afternoon, Detective Watson." She placed her coat down on the table next to her glasses. Watson looked over his shoulder and turned with a smile,_

"_Ah, Doctor Waldgrave, good afternoon." The two shook hands and Harli walked to the window, staring at her patient, "You're early."_

"_I thought that I should get here early for a good start. I was reading over his file last night again before bed, he's quite the handful."_

"_Inmate 6487 AKA "Reaper", responsible for seven inmate deaths and two guard deaths." He looked over at her and his face held solemnity and concern, "No other doctor will observe him; you are brave to take him on yourself, and the first woman." A small smile formed on Harli's lips as she nodded,_

"_I'm not scared."_

"_Are you ready to go in? I'm going to send three officers in with you for your safety." Harli shook her head and looked over at Watson, a piece of hair falling in front of her face,_

"_No, sending in officers this time won't let me try and complete my duties. I need to earn his trust, get inside his head, or I won't gain the information I'll need to diagnose him." Watson walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a journal book. He handed it to her, complete with a pen, with a smile,_

"_Here, your own journal to record your findings. I know you're incredibly good at recording information in your head, but just in case." Harli took it in her hands and smiled,_

"_Thank you." She walked to the door and opened it, stepping into the room. She turned and put her hands down in front of her, staring at her patient. His head hung low with his eyes closed and she noticed his hands were cuffed to the top of the table, "Hello again, Mr. Goyer." His hand let out a small twitch and his head rose, a pair of dark eyes staring straight at her. She walked over to the chair across from him and placed her notebook on table, the pen right next to it. He watched her every movement and the movements to him were as if time stood still. Harli stared at him, retaking in all his features._

_He had annoying scruff occupying his face from weeks and months of being unable to shave or handle a razor. He was living in The Hole, AKA Solitary Confinement. He had tattoos on his forearms that stretched all the way up to his neck, even a couple making it onto his face. The one thing that scared Harli about this inmate were his incredibly piercing eyes. They were jet black, no pupil and no iris coloration in them whatsoever. She was trained to read the eyes of her patients, their motives especially. But she could see nothing in his eyes, only an unknown lust._

_She felt those black eyes stare right through her soul._

"_Waldgrave… what are you doing here?"_

"_Just came to talk Mr. Goyer,"_

"_No, you came to try and get inside my delightful mind, isn't that right?" Harli tapped her pen on the table as she thought for a moment, contemplating on where to start first. She put the pen down and clasped her hands together, leaning forward on the table with her elbows resting against it. Goyer narrowed his eyes as he fumbled with his fingers, his movements becoming slightly erratic,_

"_Well, I didn't get to talk to you much last time; you're self-induced seizure got in the middle of that." _

"_I wasn't feeling very good that day. Didn't feel much for talkin'." His black eyes began to glaze over and they widened at her features. Harli took a breath,_

"_Well, are you going to comply with me this time?" She asked politely and heard him chuckle lightly a smile creeping along his cheeks as he stared at her,_

"_I'll do my best." His husky voice echoed in the room, causing a small shudder to go down Harli's spine. Harli opened a notebook and began to jot down a few words,_

"_What was your family like when you were younger?" She asked and his eyes moved down to his hands, his face began to twitch slightly. There were a few moments of silence before he spoke,_

"_Not much to my family. I wouldn't be here if we all lived happily ever after."_

"_Just give me a brief decree on what it was like so I can help you." Goyer stopped and looked up at Harli with a snarl that had turned into a smile. He laughed a bit and fiddled with his hands, picking at the scabs on his skin as he licked his lips. Slowly, his black eyes stared up at Harli once again, making another shiver go up her spine with unease,_

"_Let's talk about you, Dr. Waldgrave…" Harli's eyebrows knitted and her eyes narrowed,_

"_Why would we do that? This interview is about you." He snickered to himself and looked back down to his hands,_

"_Do you know what's so great about killing, Doctor? It's the adrenaline, the excitement, and the liberation I get when I listen to my victims plea for their lives. Oh, and when that blood hits my hands… it's like sticking yourself with meth for the first time… it's the greatest high I can get." He clasped his hands together, leaning forward as his black eyes glistened, clear excitement washing over his face, "And the women? I can't even begin to tell you the rush I get from them…" He smiled and Harli shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She had dealt with plenty of psychopaths while she was studying in college, but someone like this was slightly beyond her level of training. She didn't really realize what she was in for, "And such a beautiful and young woman like you untouched from the evil world around us… I bet you bleed so, so gorgeously and gracefully."_

"_We're not talking about me, Mr. Goyer. Please, stick to my questions."_

_She asked politely once again and he leaned forward even closer to Harli. She looked up from her journal and saw the evil smirk across his face,_

"_You think I haven't done my research on you? After I heard you were going to be my psychologist… I couldn't resist."_

"_What are you talking about?" Harli became on edge,_

"_Harli Camille Waldgrave. Born on November 2, 1986 in Peidmont Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia. Mother died when you were only eleven years old, going on twelve. Father was allegedly abusive towards you for your entire life, but the cops never pressed charges because they didn't see enough evidence after the pleading you went through. You began college just when you were eighteen years of age, and you graduated just over 3 months ago from Georgia State University with a Master's degrees in criminal psychology." Harli looked down at his cuffs and noticed that the screws were missing from the plates that held down the chains to his wrists. Harli swallowed a hard lump and gathered her things, not wanting to alert Detective Watson and have him make a scene._

"_This interview is over as of now, we'll continue it tomorrow."_

"_Why so tense? We're just getting to the fun part…."_

_Everything seemed to move faster than Harli expected and shock filled her body, rendering her completely defenseless and unknowing to what was going on. Goyer had thrown the table to the side in a complete craze and ripped the handcuffs from the plates. He charged at her and had pulled out a homemade knife, throwing her to the ground roughly. He didn't have much time to try and end her life as much as he wanted when Detective Watson and prison guards entered the room to stop him. Goyer gripped the handle of the knife and jammed it down as hard as he could, feeling the guards grabbing him. Just as they yanked him away, he forced the knife down further into her body and it cut through her skirt, meeting with her skin and slicing deeply into her hip. She gasped out in pain as Goyer shouted and fought against the grasp of the guards, "Let me go! I want to watch her bleed!" _

_The guards dragged him out of the room and Detective Watson ran to Harli's side, "Harli-!"_

Harli's body jolted up out of her seat as she panted and looked around, confused of her surroundings. She looked around frantically as the sun high in the sky beat down through the window of the Winnebago, causing her skin to burn with warmth. Harli then stumbled out of the passengers chair and found her way to the door, gripping the door handle without hesitation. She tore it open and staggered out, giving a brief stare to the group as they stood surprised by her appearance. Falling to the ground, she panted even more out of exhaustion and slight confusion; she got back to her feet and hobbled towards the Mustang that was parked next to the Winnebago. Her fingers grabbed a bottle of water and wasted no time twisting the cap off it wet contents. She then put it to her mouth and took a large swig, then raised it over her head to dump the rest of it onto her face. Rick walked up behind her, concerned about her wellbeing, "Harli, you okay? You don't seem right minded."

Harli put her hands down on the hood and took a couple deep breaths, herr head clearer as she looked over at him, her wet hair drooping around her face. She nodded and sighed, moving the wet locks from her face,

"Yeah, sorry. Just had a bad dream… forgot where I was for a moment." She laughed under her breath and Rick put a hand on her shoulder, softly pulling her towards the group,

"We're getting our bags and everything ready to go out on a day search for Sophia. You're welcome to stay here with T-Dog and Dale if you'd like." Harli shook her head against wanting to stay,

"No. The water was all I needed, I'm going. You're going to need all the help you can get."

"You're right," Rick nodded and looked over towards the group to explain the search plan, "Alright everyone listen up, this is what we're goin' to do." Harli caught Daryl's eye and she smiled faintly, Daryl quickly looking away towards the weapon bag that Shane stretched across the hood of a car. It didn't have firearms, but hand held weapons such as sickles, hatchets, and machetes,

"Everyone takes a weapon." Shane expressed and Andrea scoffed, placing a hand on her hip and staring at the weapons with disappointment,

"These aren't the kind of weapons we need. What about the guns?"

"We've been over that, Daryl, Rick, and I are carryin'. Can't be havin' people pop off rounds every time a bush rustles." Shane said as people began to draw weapons, eyeing Andrea's annoyed stare. Harli walked up and grabbed onto a hatchet's handle, staring at the severely sharp blade. She placed the handle in her belt securely,

"Easier for us to carry and use these weapons than draw attention from the unwanted with a loud gunshot." Harli looked over at Andrea while trying to make a point. Shane nodded,

"Harli's right, say someone fires off while a herd is passin' by, see that's game over for all of us. So you need to just get over it." Shane said as he pushed himself off the Winnebago and Andrea stared at him with an angry glare as he passed. She looked back over at Harli,

"Then if Rick, Shane, and Daryl have a gun, why are you so special to carry one, too?" Andrea placed a hand on her hip, staring down at Harli's pistol that sat loyally in her leg holster. Daryl looked over at Andrea,

"Cuz she knows how to shoot if needs be to be done so." He defended but Harli pulled her pistol out of its holster and popped out the clip in its bay. She yanked back the slide and the bullet in the barrel popped out, Harli catching it swiftly while throwing her pistol and clip onto the hood of the car,

"You happy now?" She annoyingly walked over between Daryl and Rick and Andrea shook her head at the small scene Harli had caused. Daryl looked around at his group,

"The plan is to take the creek bed up about five miles, then turn around and come back down the other side. Chances are she'll be by the creek. It's her only landmark." Daryl began to walk off towards the forest, his leg swinging over the guardrail of the highway. Rick turned to everyone as he readied to follow after Daryl,

"Stay quiet, stay sharp, keep enough space between you, but stay in tow with each other."

"Everyone assemble your packs, who knows how long we're gonna be out here."

Shane warned as he eyed almost everyone in the group. Harli walked over and grabbed her backpack off the ground, tossing the strap over her shoulders to ensure an easy carry. She had an extra shirt, pants and a small first aid kit just in case something were to unexpectedly happen. A few water bottles had been stashed in her pack and she turned towards Daryl, walking over next to him by the guardrail. She noted the surprisingly patient demeanor he held as the rest of the group continued to ready their gear. Harli stopped and turned as she heard Andrea biting at Dale's ankles for him to give her gun back to her, and irritated sigh escaping her lips.

"There she goes spittin' off fire again." Harli looked over at Daryl, who also watched Andrea bite off Dale's head about how she had saved his life from the CDC, not the other way around.

"Pathetic if you ask me. Thinking about no one but herself." Daryl's face grew amused by her venomous tone as she spit it out towards Andrea. He only ever saw her as sweet, refined, and innocent woman but it was riveting to see an entire new side of her,

"You seem annoyed by the fact she bit at you about your gun." He said, causing Harli to scoff and look over at Andrea briefly, then returning her eyes to Daryl's,

"The way she's acting is pitiful. She doesn't realize having a gun in her hand would put all of us in danger, no matter how hard we try to tell her."

"Stupid girl will learn sooner or later." Everyone stopped and watched as Andreas tone became louder and more disgusted. Dale was speechless at what she had said and why she wanted to die. Harli's heart dropped at the sight of Dale's pained face, her heart going out to the poor man. He was such a wise, comforting, and caring old man who wanted nothing but to see Andrea survive with a flourishing life, even if it meant living in a hell-hole world now.

After Andrea's spit fire attack on Dale, she stalked off past Daryl and Harli. The search party followed and Daryl bumped Harli with his arm and nodded, "Come on."

Their venture out in search for Sophia had begun. Harli followed behind Daryl as she scanned the surrounding areas for any type of movement or possibly anything out of the ordinary. They trekked for at least a mile as Daryl followed after a trail, leading his group deeper into the forest. Harli wasn't paying attention in front of her as Daryl began to crouch and slow, spotting a tent off in the distance. Harli bumped into the back of him, nearly tripping over the crossbow wielding survivor. Before she could have a chance to fall to the ground, Rick grabbed her by the arm and put his finger to his mouth, signaling silence. He pointed to the tent and Harli nodded, crouching down behind them as Rick signaled the rest of the group to do so,

"She could be in there… could be a whole bunch of things in there…" Daryl lifted himself and began to walk towards the seemingly unoccupied tent. Shane carried on up behind Rick and the two followed Daryl as he approached the campsite, his crossbow raised and ready to fire. Carol stood up to follow but Harli grabbed her arm,

"We should wait until they make sure it's safe…." She whispered with caution and Carol gave a small smile, nodding her head in agreement. The two women looked back to the three men as they entered the campsite, their weapons gripped warily in their hands. Harli watched as Daryl stopped Rick and Shane, signaling he would go from there by himself. He pulled his knife out of its sheath and gripped it tightly, stalking the outside of the tent for any sign of movement. Rick turned towards Carol and whispered her name loudly, waving her over to him. She was quick and quiet to Rick's side, the rest of the group following slowly to see what was going on.

"Call out softly. If she's in there, yours is the voice she should be the first to hear." Rick voiced calmly and Carol nodded, her hands shaking as she called out for Sophia. There was no response, leaving her incredibly worried. Daryl grabbed the zipper of the tent and slowly, but quietly, began to open it up. Rick walked up, his gun ready to fire as Daryl swung the tent door open. They recoiled quickly, Rick walking back from an unbearable stench as his hand pressed against his nose. Daryl put the back of his own hand against his face and entered the tent bravely. Rick coughed as he walked away from the tent,

"What is it?" Harli whispered curiously and Rick shook his head,

"I don't know. The smell is horrible, whatever it is."

"Daryl?" They looked to Carol as she waited for him to crawl out with her daughter safe in his arms. Harli and Lori walked up to Carol's side for comfortable reassurance, but to her dismay, Daryl walked out with nothing. He shook his head,

"It ain't her." Carol let out a sharp breath and she looked back to Lori, her eyes slowly dying. Andrea walked up,

"What's in there?" She asked and Daryl looked behind him briefly, grabbing his crossbow and making sure an arrow was securely in the chamber. He tossed the strap over his shoulder,

"Some guy... Did what Jenner said, "Opted Out". Ain't that what he called it?" Harli looked over to Carol with dismay, who shook her head and put her hand to her mouth. Lori tried to comfort her woman counterpart to the best of her abilities.

Harli's eyes widened and everyone's head shot up to the sky as they heart the angelic tones of a loud bell echoing through the forest. Rick looked to everyone and pointed in front of him, taking off in the direction he thought it came from. Without a second thought, everyone took off running in after Rick as fast as they could, hoping that what lied ahead was promising. After a couple minutes of continuous running and leaping through the woods, they stopped in a small patch among the trees. Harli spun around, trying to pinpoint the direction, "Where the hell is it coming from?"

"I think that way, I'm pretty sure." Rick pointed as everyone else tried to gather the location,

"Damn it's hard to tell out here." Shane growled as he looked around, hearing the sound bouncing off the trees around them. Carol looked at Rick and her eyes glowed with hope,

"If we hear them then maybe Sophia does!"

"Someone's ringing those bells, maybe calling others?" Glenn said while trying to keep everyone's chins up. Andrea walked past, giving Glenn a promising glare,

"Or signaling they found her?"

"She could be ringing them herself, come on!" Rick began to run again and everyone chased after their leader. Finally the group broke through the horde of bushes and immediately slowed to a walk, their chests heaving with pants. There stood a large white church in the middle of a clearing along with a cemetery put off in the farthest corner. They soon stopped at the sight and Shane doubtfully shook his head,

"That can't be it, there's no steeple, no bells." Rick ignored Shane and rushed through the cemetery in front of them towards the church. Everyone slowly began, once again, to jaunt into a long, desperate sprint. As they approached the large building, Harli looked through the windows but saw no one inside. Daryl looked over at her and she shook her head at him, the two following Rick up the church steps. They readied their weapons and Rick slowly opened the door for a breach.

Harli stared inside as she saw three figures sitting in different rows of the pews. She let out a breath of relief, but it was soon taken when they turned to see who had intruded on their silence. Their skin sat broken and faded on their faces, rotted teeth glaring back at all the survivors. Their silver eyes stared lustfully at them all, their bodies slowly stood to their feet. The three Walkers, although hungry, didn't make much of a valiant effort to approach the rather large group. Harli watched as Lori handed Rick her machete and Shane pulled out his own. Glenn handed Daryl his sickle and consecutively, the three men took out the Walkers with barely an effort.

"Sophia!?" Rick shouted loudly in hysteria as he ripped opened another door to explore inside. Harli walked back outside and stopped, looking around the large cemetery that surrounded the church. She walked around towards the side of the building,

"Sophia!?" She yelled out, her voice echoing across the land around her. She was startled once again at the sound of the incredibly loud bells chiming over her own voice. Harli stared up at the top of the church, but didn't see any bells ringing, only a large speaker on the corner of the building. There was a box sitting on the outside of the churches wall, antagonizing Harli to go and investigate it. Hastily, she yanked open the control box and tore out whatever cords that were causing the bells to ring. A rush of footsteps pounded against the ground as the group rushed around the corner, seeing Harli walking up with the wires in hand,

"Its automated… it was on a timer…" She sighed, tossing the wires to the tall grass they stood in. Rick and Shane dropped their heads in defeat, Rick rubbing a hand down his face. Carol shook her head and the familiar look of exhaustion overtook her features.

"I'm gonna go inside for a bit…"

**.:o:.**

Harli sat down on a bench that was built around a tree, the old wood buckling softly under her weight. She pulled a water bottle out of her bag and swallowed half of it down her throat, feeling the coolness hit her belly. It was incredibly hot outside and she was tired from running such a long distance, feeling the sweat forming all over her body. But it was worth it, it was worth the effort to find Sophia and bring her back to everyone safe. Harli rubbed her head and looked down the driveway that led to the church, but saw no road on the other side. A door slammed open and she looked over to see Daryl walking down a small flight of stairs from the side of the church. He took notice to Harli's figure and quickly changed the path of his mind, now making his way towards her. He placed his crossbow down next to him as he sat down on the bench,

"I wonder what the hell a church like this is doin' way out here in the bushes." He asked more to himself than her and Harli looked over at him,

"Must be for locals or so. Churches can spring up out of nowhere." She handed Daryl the water bottle and he looked down at it. Hesitantly, he took it and drank whatever was left of it, sharing the same exhaustion that she had, "Don't you think it's a bit sacrilegious that Walkers were in a house of the Lord?"

"How do you mean?" He asked, looking over at her. Her green eyes stared out in front of her, seeing Carol and Lori praying to Jesus at his feet in the church,

"The infection, or wrath of god as they would put it, was inflicted upon them in a house of God. But aren't they supposed to be free of their rapture and a pure people?"

"You not religious?" He asked, staring over her face as a small breeze shifted her hair from around her face,

"Not really, but I know a few of these things."

"A man can preach that he's free of sin, even a pastor or preacher, but no matter how hard they try to convince themselves or God that they are pure, they are tainted with the thoughts of evil." Daryl spoke and Harli brought her hands up to rub her face with a sigh,

"Why is everything so depressing?"

"It's not; you just think that way all the time that's all you see anything as." Harli looked off and watched as Shane was talking to Rick.

Daryl's complicated thoughts took over once again and he closed his eyes tightly, as everything began to become overwhelming. Why was she so nice? Why did she attempt to make friends with him so easily and not get mad when he snapped at her? Why couldn't he get mad at her or be hostile while she was around? Why did he save her every chance that he had gotten, or protect her, for that matter? And the most important thing that he couldn't get out of his mind: Why had she kissed his cheek the night before? Was it really for good luck?

"Daryl?" He felt a soft hand on his shoulder and he opened his eyes to see her standing over him, "You alright? You don't look like you're feeling too good," She put her hand to his forehead and his immediately pulled his head away, standing up while grabbing his crossbow,

"Yeah, let's just go." He said plainly as he pushed past her. She narrowed her eyes at his odd behavior and just shrugged it off, knowing it wouldn't help her any on dwelling on the matter. Maybe he didn't have enough water to drink? Her hand snatched her backpack and she walked after him back towards the rest of the group just as Shane walked up,

"Alright ya'll listen up. Ya'll gotta follow the creek bed back. Okay?" His dark eyes shifted quickly to Daryl, "Daryl, you're in charge, me and Rick are just gonna hang back to search this area another hour or so, just to be thorough." Daryl's eyebrows knitted over his forehead,

"Splittin' us up? You sure?"

"Yeah, we'll catch up to you later."

"I wanna stay, too. I'm her friend." Everyone looked to Carl, who stared at his dad with determination in his eyes. Rick looked to Lori and she walked up to Carl with a smile, finally letting her son go off on his own,

"Just be careful, okay?" She hugged Carl and Rick walked up, extending his gun out towards her,

"Here, take this. Remember how to use it?"

"I'm not taking your gun and leaving you unarmed." Lori refused and Harli caught movement out of the corner of her eyes, seeing Daryl pulling a gun out of the waistband of his pants and handing it to Lori,

"Here, gotta spare. Take it." Lori took it from him and he nodded towards Rick, the crossbow wielder turning around and walking off towards the forest. Harli turned to follow after him, staring over her shoulder at Rick and Shane one last time. Curiously, she jogged up next to Daryl,

"Where'd you get that gun?"

"Found it in the tent. Pried it from the guys cold, dead fingers."

**.:o:.**

"So this is it? The whole plan?" Carol sat down on a log for a short break, her legs tired from walking for so long in the hot sun. The group stopped in the middle of the woods to rest briefly before moving on to get back to the highway. Daryl sighed and leaned up against a tree,

"Disappointing as a woodless swamp full of beavers."

"What's that supposed to mean? It doesn't even make sense." Harli asked and Daryl shook his head,

"Not supposed to."

"Carrying around knives and pointy sticks, I see you have a gun." Andrea stared jealously at Lori, eyeing the pistol in the waistband of her pants. Harli scoffed and shook her head, pulling her hair to one side of her shoulder

"Can you just shut up and get over that already? Who cares who has a gun and who doesn't?"

"No one asked for your opinion, I just want to better defend myself when the time calls for it." Andrea was quick to bite back and Harli smirked, shaking her head,

"Oh please, half the time we gotta run around saving your sorry ass anyways, what would be the difference if you had a gun or not?" Andrea advanced towards Harli challengingly,

"Would you care to say that again?"

"Stop it, both of you." Lori's icy tone snapped at the two women out of their pissing contest, making them look over at her. She stood up straight and looked to Andrea, "You want the damn gun? Here, take it. I'm sick of the looks you're givin' me." She pulled the gun out of her pant line and extended it out towards Andrea. Andrea looked down at the gun and scoffed, taking it in her own hand. Glenn and Daryl put their heads down, feeling the menacing nature amongst all women and not wanting to be involved. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. "All of you…." Lori continued and her blue eyes moved to Carol, "Honey, I can't imagine what you're goin' through, and I would do anything to stop it, but you have got to stop blaming Rick, I see it in your face every time you look at him. Once Sophia ran, he didn't hesitate did he? Not for a second!" Lori then looked to the rest of the others around her, "I don't think any of us would've gone after her the same way just as he did. Or had to make the decisions he had to make, or would've done it any differently. Anybody?" She asked as she looked at each other individual. She then shook her head, "Ya'll blame him, but look at him, he's not perfect. You think you can do this alone, go right ahead, no one is stopping you!"

Everyone looked down in shame as she drank water from her water bottle annoyingly, staring off into the bushes. Everyone looked up once they heard footsteps and Harli walked over to Lori, causing her to look up at the soft smile on Harli's face, "There's no doubt in my mind that Rick is the most hardworking one out of all of us in this group. I could never make the decisions he's made or would've done half the things he has done to help and save this group. If it weren't for him, I'd be dead right now, roaming around as a Walker. I'm thankful your husband is here for us all and we will find Sophia." Harli glanced over at Carol, who put her head down shamefully. Lori nodded at Harli,

"Thank you." Harli looked over and saw Andrea handing the gun back to Lori,

"We should keep moving." Without any other words, Lori stood up, taking the gun from Andrea and beginning to walk off down the designated trail. The group followed after her and Daryl nodded for Harli to follow along with him.

The group soon stopped and turned as a faint, clear gunshot echoed through the woods.


	10. Chapter 10

The search team walked for hours of miles upon miles covering ground on the other side of the creek bed. Harli continuingly looked back to see Lori staring over her shoulder, worried by the gun shot that echoed an hour prior. Harli had wondered herself what the gunshot was about and whether or not it was associated with Rick, Shane, and Carl.

Finally, Lori stopped and stared out into the abyss of trees once again as if looking for something. Harli took notice and stopped next to her, "Still worried about the shot?" Lori sighed and nodded softly,

"Yeah… it was a gunshot…"

"We all heard it." Daryl called and came to a stop upon hearing the two women speaking. Lori continued to look through the trees as if to find her husband and son walking through the bushes towards them. She finally looked back at Daryl,

"Why one? Why just one gunshot?"

"Maybe they took down a Walker." Daryl shrugged his shoulders and offered a solution. Lori shook her head,

"Don't you patronize me we all know Rick wouldn't risk a gunshot to take down _one_ Walker... or Shane. They'd do it quietly."

"Shouldn't have they caught up with us by now?" Carol asked while taking a sharp breath. Taking command of the position Shane left him to, Daryl shook his head and walked up,

"Nothin' we can do about it anyway. Can't be runnin' round these woods chasin' echoes."

"So what do we do?" Harli asked with the shake of her head and Daryl stared over her, then back to the rest of the group,

"Same as we've been. Beat the bush for Sophia and work our way back to the highway."

"I'm sure they'll hook up with us back at the RV." Andrea reassured to Lori and Carol. Lori took one last look out into the woods and turned, her feet stepping across the crunchy ground to pursue on. Harli nodded at her and she followed in her wake. The feeling was mutual as they turned to Andrea and Carol exchanging words with one another. Andrea knew how Carol felt and she could understand that because of her loss of Amy. Carol's eyes began to water as she looked up at Harli and Lori,

"The thought of her, out here by herself. It's the not knowing that's killing me… I keep hoping and praying she doesn't wind up like Amy." Her voice cracked as she shrugged her shoulders, shaking her head. Harli walked up to comfort Carol, but then Carol realized what she had said about Amy and apologized quickly to Andrea. She shrugged it off,

"It's okay. We're all hoping and praying with you. For what it's worth," Harli turned to Daryl walking up to the women,

"I'll tell you what it's worth, not a damn thing. It's a waste of time, all this hopin' and prayin'. We're gonna locate that little girl, and she's gonna be just fine." He looked back and forth from Harli, to Andrea, and then to Carol. He scoffed and shook his head, "Am I the only one who's Zen around here? Good Lord." Daryl walked off after Glenn, who quietly began to continue his way back to the highway. Lori looked back at them with a smile and Harli couldn't help but laugh to herself while Andrea and Carol held puzzled looks on their faces.

"Come on, we should keep looking. Got a lot of ground to cover." Harli put her hand on Carol's back, gently pushing her along with them. Carol nodded with a reassuring smile and they pressed on.

**o.o**

"We're gonna be losin' light here before too long." Daryl stated as the group stopped once again to take a much needed breather. Harli looked around the trees and saw nothing but green brush and fallen logs,

"We have a lot to cover, what do we do?"

"Let's head back." Lori stated with a sigh and Carol looked over at her,

"Pick it up again tomorrow?"

"Yeah, we'll find her tomorrow." Lori smiled and they all turned upon hearing Daryl whistling at them to get moving. He waved his hand at them to follow and they were quick to heed his movements and press on down his trail. Harli walked up next to Glenn,

"You alright Glenn? You haven't said a word since we've left the church." Glenn looked up at her briefly, then back down to the ground as he walked,

"Just tired." Harli knew he was lying just by the tone of his voice. She reached her hand into her backpack and offered him a water,

"You thirsty?" He shook his head in refusal and didn't say a word back in reply to her. Harli sighed and jumped over a log, catching up to Daryl's side as he lead the group,

"What's Chinaman's deal?" He asked while stealing a look at Glenn over his shoulder, Harli shrugging her shoulders with the shake of her head,

"I don't know. He won't tell me." She mimicked Daryl's movements and took a look back at Glenn over her own shoulder, seeing that he had slowed his pace somewhat. She looked back over at Daryl, "Probably all shaken up by the church deal. Maybe he's thinking we're not gonna find her." She said, staring out at the trees around her as if trying to catch some type of movement. She heard Daryl scoff,

"If he wants a swift boot the face then he shouldn't be thinkin' bout it. We're gonna find that little girl." Harli smiled once she looked into Daryl's determined face,

"I know, you've only said it a million times."

"Wouldn't say it so much if people would stop bein' clueless and have some damn confidence round here."

"Yeah I know…" Harli said, looking briefly at everyone over her shoulder. Daryl looked down at her, his eyes soft,

"Do you doubt that we'll ever find her?" Harli looked up at his deep blue eyes and contemplated on the question. She smirked and looked down, avoiding a large rock in her way,

"With you as leader, I damn well believe that we'll find Sophia." Daryl couldn't help but smile smugly to himself,

"Didn't expect to hear that come from your mouth."

"How much further?" He heard Lori call back behind him. Daryl broke his gaze from Harli and looked up around him, scanning his surroundings and trying to determine the proper distance they had before they reached the highway,

"Not much… another hundred yards, maybe. As the crow flies…"

"Too bad we're not crows…" Andrea mumbled out of sheer exhaustion more to herself than the others around her. Harli fixed the shoulder strap on her backpack and looked up at Daryl,

"Hey, can you teach me how to shoot that bow I found? I've never shot one before."

"Find any arrows for it?"

"…No…"

"Then you're shit out of luck as of now." Daryl said bluntly and Harli pouted while looking at him,

"But you have arrows. You can't teach me with them?"

"Don't want you to lose any if you miss the target. I only have two or three left. Their bolts anyways... too short for that bow of yours." Daryl looked down at her and she grew slightly irritated, avoiding his blue eyed gaze. He took notice and bit at his lip; he didn't want to disappoint her, "Tell you what, I'll teach you how to make your own arrows and you can go apeshit with that bow all you want." Harli smiled and looked up to him, but everything went to dust as they heard loud screaming. Everyone stopped and turned around, trying to pinpoint the location as it, once again, echoed through the trees. Harli then noticed that Andrea was missing,

"Andrea!?" They took off running after Daryl once he figured out where she had gone. Her screaming had continued and the group quickened their pace as much as their legs would let them. Her screaming then disappeared and the faulty rescue team stopped, staring in awe at Andrea's savior. A woman sat atop a large horse, a bat clasped tightly in her hand,

"Lori!? Lori Grimes!?" The woman called desperately, her green eyes darting back and forth from one strange face to the next,

"I'm Lori." Lori walked up, staring at the woman and wondering how exactly she knew her name. The woman shoved the baseball bat back in the makeshift holster on her saddle,

"Rick sent me! You gotta come now!" Lori's face grew confused, as well as everyone else's, at the sound of Rick's name, "There's been an accident, Carl's been shot! He's still alive, but you have to come now!" Harli watched as Lori's face washed over with fear and stressing anxiety, "Rick needs you, just come!" Without any more hesitation, Lori ripped the backpack off her arms and ran up to the horse. Daryl went after her, skeptical about her decision,

"Woah, woah, woah, we don't know this girl! You can't get on that horse!" He shouted in attempts to try and get Lori away from the strange woman. Lori ignored him completely and the woman on the horse stared down as Lori crawled up on the back of the saddle,

"Rick said you have others on the highway? That big traffic snarl!?" Glenn seemed mesmerized by the woman's sudden appearance and nodded at her words, "Back track to Farren road, two miles down. You'll see the mailbox, the names Green!" As soon as Lori latched her arms around the woman's waist, she yanked the horses head in the opposite direction and kicked it, riding off as fast as the horse's legs could carry. Harli looked over at Glenn and Daryl,

"What the hell just happened?" They looked back at her without an answer, wondering themselves the same question she had asked. Soft moans came from the Walker on the ground that had attacked Andrea, its body twitching with instinctual movement. Harli stood next to it and stared down, backing up as it rose its upper body. Daryl growled and walked up to it,

"Shut up!" He pulled the trigger of his crossbow, implanting a bolt into its brain. He walked off towards the direction of the highway and Harli looked at Glenn, Carol, and Andrea as she got back to her feet. Everyone was still completely dumbfounded by what had happened only moments before, not knowing what to say or do. Harli walked up and ripped the abandoned bolt from the Walkers head, pursuing after Daryl.

Harli finally broke out of the trees and climbed up to the highway, jumping over the guardrail and sighing in relief on being back to home ground. She put her hands on her hips and panted, trying to take in as much oxygen as her lungs would let her. Harli's eyes noticed the orange horizon brewing about the mountains, not realizing how long the trip had actually taken. Dale took notice to her appearance as she waited for the others to arrive, "It's about time you all came back. I was beginning to get worried."

She took a couple deep breaths and narrowed her eyes from the bright sun, "Carl's been shot Dale…" His expression and smiled dropped as he shouldered his rifle, walking over to her. By that time, the rest of the group had caught up with her,

"Shot? What do you mean shot!?" Glenn panted and moved his leg over the guard rail,

"I don't know Dale… listen, all I know is this chick came out of nowhere like Zorro on a horse and took Lori." Harli finally caught her breath and watched as the rest climbed out of the woodwork. Daryl stepped over and Dale looked at him accusingly,

"And you let her!?"

"Get the hell off my ass old man! Rick sent her, she knew Lori's name and Carl's." Daryl brushed past Dale towards his motorcycle, clearly irritated about the situation. Andrea crawled over the guardrail slowly, feeling the most fatigue out of anyone,

"And I heard screams, was that you?" Dale directed towards Andrea concerned. She completely ignored him and walked to the Winnebago, leaning on it briefly to catch her breath. Harli looked over at Dale,

"She got attacked by a Walker…"

"Andrea, are you alright!?" He called and she turned, staring back at him annoyingly and only shaking her head. She walked into the Winnebago without a reply towards him, the RV shaking from feeling her enter. After a few moments of catching their breath, everyone finally managed to regroup. Harli leaned on a car and stared at Daryl,

"So what do we do? Do we go regroup with Rick or what?" Daryl rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Dale,

"Best thing we can do now is try to regroup with them while we can. Keep the search for Sophia tomorrow mornin' from a new location." There was a moment of tense silence as Carol crossed her arms and shook her head,

"I won't do it. We can't do it… we can't just leave!" Dale leaned his arm up on the Winnebago, sighing,

"Carol, the group is split. We're scattered and weak."

"But what if she comes back, and we're not here!?" Everyone stared at her and she looked to each and every one of their eyes, "It could happen…"

"If Sophia found her way back and we were gone, that would be awful…" Andrea voiced as she finally came out of the Winnebago. Daryl nodded his head and looked over to Carol,

"Okay. We gotta plan for this. I say tomorrow mornin' we got enough time to pull up stakes. Give us a chance to rig a big sign and leave her some supplies. I'll hold here tonight, stay with the RV."

"If the RV stays, I stay." Dale volunteered, siding with Daryl and not wanting to leave his faithful Winnebago behind. Carol's mouth drew into a small smile as she nodded,

"Thank you… thank you both."

"You're gonna need more help and more feet to carry out what needs to be done, count me in." Harli said with a smile while placing her hands on her hips. They all looked to Andrea and she raised her hand with a smile,

"I'm in."

"If you're all stayin… them I'm gonna-"

"No, no not you Glenn… you're going. Take Carol's Cherokee." Glenn's mouth dropped and he scoffed,

"Me? Why is it always me!?" Dale put his hand up, not wanting to argue,

"You have to find this farm, reconnect with our people, and see what's going on. But most of all, you need to get T-Dog there. It's not an option."

"How's he doing Dale?" Harli asked with concern in her voice and Dale sighed, leaning back up against the Winnebago,

"Not good. That cut has gone from bad to worse…. He has a very serious blood infection." Harli looked over, seeing T-Dog leaned up against the back of the Winnebago, a blanket draped over his shoulders from the obvious chills that were riddling through his body,

"There's nothing I can do for him. I don't have any antibiotics or supplies to try and fix it."

"Then that's the most important reason why he needs to get to that farm. See if they have any antibiotics… if not… T-Dog will die no joke." He said, plain and simple. Harli watched as Daryl turned, grabbing a rag off his bike and rummaging around through his saddle bags. A large blue back of pill bottles were yanked out by his rough hand and he turned back around to face the group, tossing the rag to Dale,

"Keep your oily rags off my brother's motorcycle." He slammed the bag of pills down next to Harli and the group walked over, staring down at them with curiousity. As Daryl opened it, he stared along with everyone else at the many different pill labels, "Why'd you wait till now to say anything? I got my brothers stash…"

"Jesus… not even I've seen that many pills prescribed to one person." Harli said as she stepped back once Daryl began to unload the bag,

"Crystal, Ecs, Ox… and some kick ass paint killers…" He tossed a bottle to Glenn and the young Asian man looked down at the bottle in his fingers. Daryl returned his hand to the bag, grabbing another bottle and tossing it to Dale,

"Oxycyclene. Ain't the generic stuff neither, its first class. Merle got the Clap on occasion." He shrugged and walked off, Harli scrunching her nose with slight disgust as Dale looked down at the pill bottles with a smile.

**.:o:.**

The darkness consumed the sky faster than Harli had expected, the sun dipping behind the mountains and leaving them for its ten hours of peace. Only an hour before had they had returned to the Winnebago from the search for Sophia, Harli still shocked about the woman on the horse. Even though Harli had reassured Daryl's question about locating Sophia earlier, she had her doubts now, and even then.

Daryl lied on the floor on the Winnebago, his hands behind his head as a rather uncomfortable pillow. He couldn't fall asleep and wasn't even tired because all he could hear was Carol's soft crying as she lied in the bed in the back of the Winnebago. He looked up and saw Andrea cleaning her pistol, clearly unable to sleep as well. He had wondered where Harli had gone off to; she hadn't been seen in the Winnebago.

Daryl then got up and grabbed his crossbow, shouldering it roughly over his arm. Andrea looked up at him with a confused expression, "I'm gonna go look for the little girl." He looked back at Carol, pitying her for her lost child. She cleaned the tears from her eyes and looked up at him, a soft nod reassuring her. He grabbed a flashlight and stepped out of the Winnebago, turning it on to illuminate his way. A pair of footsteps caught his ears and Daryl turned, seeing Andrea walking out after him and shutting the Winnebago door,

"I'm coming too." Daryl nodded and looked up to Dale on top of the Winnebago,

"Imma go for a walk, shine some light in the forest. If she's out there, it'll give her something to look at."

"Do you think that's a good idea right now?" He asked a bit worried and Andrea looked up at him,

"Dale?" She said in a low tone, shutting him up as she walked past Daryl. Daryl looked up to him and Dale sighed,

"Hey uh…. Harli ran off again… so if you see her, tell her to come on back since you two will be gone. I don't feel comfortable with her out there by herself." Daryl stopped and looked out into the midst of cars as if trying to spot wherever she went. He chewed on his lip, contemplating on whether or not he should venture out into the woods on his original mission or head out to find Harli to make sure she was alright. He swallowed a hard lump and looked back up at Dale,

"Don't worry bout her too much old man. She can take care of her own and she'll be back before you know it. She's just off thinkin' to herself and if she's not back by the time we are, I'll head out to find her again." Dale sighed and nodded in agreement, not having any more words to exchange with him. Daryl turned and Andrea began to walk towards the woods. Daryl gave one last look out into the cars before venturing into the unknown darkness of the trees, feeling a bit of anxiousness towards Harli's unknown whereabouts.

Harli wandered the graveyard of vehicles with her mind off by itself. She, herself, didn't even know why she had left the comfort of the Winnebago; she just felt she had to. It was like being a wolf straying from to pack in order to find itself. Harli toyed with the bolt she had pulled from the Walker's head, the bow propped on her back with the makeshift strap hanging it from her shoulder. She wanted to desperately to pull the bow off her back, load the bolt, and shoot it. But she had no targets and couldn't risk losing Daryl's bolt. But then again, he didn't even know she had it. He was right in one sense; the bolt did look a little short to shoot. The bolt twirled in her fingers, her eyes staring at the neon feathers that made a delightful spinning action.

Harli heard a snarl and a shiver went down her spine upon hearing the familiar noise. As her eyes looked up, they met a pair of Walkers approaching her with quickness once they spotted her figure. She froze for a mere moment and her mouth dropped in a dry gasp, not believing she hadn't seen them before. They growled and moved their arms up, charging at her once they cleared the obstacles of the vehicles in front of them. She quickly turned and frantically looked for a place to hide, her eyes darting back and forth from one false safe haven to another. Her guns, and even her knife, sat lonesome back at the RV and she cursed herself each step of the way for being stupid enough to leave them behind.

She saw her opportunity and took it. Rounding to her left, she quickly jumped inside a car and closed the door behind her. The Walker's weren't easily tricked by her movements and they slammed up against the car, their hands beating against the shabby window. Harli lied in the back seat, staring with full fear in her eyes as the breaths of their thirsty mouths fogged up the windows. Harli crawled to the other side of the car and opened the other door, wanting to make a quick escape. Her bow tugged against her chest as the cam got caught on the seat next to her, Harli turning quickly to unhook it.

A pair of hands grabbed her legs and she yelped, turning to see one of the Walker's snarling loudly as it tried to bite down on her pant leg. She kicked its head and it stumbled back, but not too soon did it recover and jump in after her. Her legs frantically kicked at the Walker's face, but it didn't put a dent in its actions. Drool dripped from its mouth as it growled, staring at her with its bright silver eyes and not wanting to wait a second longer to feel her warm blood in its mouth. She could hear the Walker pounding on the window behind her as she struggled against the other. Harli gasped as she then saw the glass cracking as the Walker continued to pound on the window to try to get its prey.

Harli gritted her teeth and reached down on the floorboard where she had remembered dropping the bolt. It fumbled around under her fingers, but finally, she managed to grab it and clasp it tightly in her hands. Panting, she gripped it in her shaking hands on her chest and halting her legs to let the Walker get a good distance back into the car. The bolt's edge slammed into the Walkers decaying eyes, its mouth letting out an escaped hiss. With its brain destroyed, the Walker's body went limp and its chest rested on Harli's legs. She let out a brief sigh of relief but soon struggled to move from under the Walkers dead weight. Her boot rammed against its head in attempts to get it off, but the body barely even budged.

Harli neglected the fact that there was one more Walker to deal with. With one last heave, the Walker's hands shattered the glass and lustfully latched onto Harli's shirt. She screamed and tried to pull away from its grasp, but its hand clung onto her like a deadly vice grip and she knew there was no way she was going to get out of it. Her elbow rammed against the face of the Walkers as she felt its head lean in to bite her warm neck. It lifted its head out of the car and let out a discontent grunt, its hands pulling at her to try and get her out into open air. She was utterly shocked at the Walkers brute strength as it began to pull her out, Harli feeling a stinging sensation break into her body. As she was constantly being pulled out of the car, her neck fell against the broken window frame and a deadly shard of glass cut through her skin like paper. She felt the warmth of the crimson liquid dribble down her neck and chest as she gasped out in pain.

The smell of her blood made the Walker even more ravenous and his grip tightened around her clothing. She looked up to see its head trying to graze in through the window once again, its mouth not waiting any longer to taste her blood. Her fight or flight response kicked in and she reached down for the bolt once again, feeling it bouncing around on her lap. She had no way of getting the Walker in the head, but she took the bolt and jammed the head of in its hand. The Walker let out a louder snarl and the tendon in its hand broke, Harli taking the chance to get from its faulty grasp.

A gunshot exploded through the air, causing Harli to jump as she moved away from the Walker, seeing its body disappear behind the car door. As she heard the body thump against the concrete, Harli panted heavily and desperately tried to look through the windows, but they were then too foggy to see who her savior was. The car door shoved open by the influence of Harli's hand and she stumbled out, her eyes groggy with fear and fatigue. Her eyes softened at the sight of Dale jogging towards her with his rifle in his hands, his eyes full of shock and fear. Harli gasped and put her hand to her neck as it continued to bleed, feeling it throbbing uncontrollably,

"Dale…" She stumbled forward, her adrenaline still pumping from the dire moments before.

"Harli… Harli are you alright!?" He asked frantically while tossing the strap of his rifle on his shoulder, his hands gripping her shoulders tightly. Harli let out a sharp sigh with the nod of her head,

"Yeah…. I'm fine." She reassured and he stepped back, his mouth open in suspicion at the sight of seeing the blood all over her neck. Her hand continued to desperately clasp onto her bleeding wound,

"Did you get bit…?" He asked with caution, hoping her answer was the one he wanted to hear. Harli stared him in the eyes and shook her head calmly,

"No, when the Walker was pulling at me my neck got caught on a piece of glass."

"My God… you're bleeding all over the place! It must've got one of your arteries; you can pass out in minutes if we don't get it cured up here soon!" He said with concern, his eyes frantic as he stared at her. Harli knew he was worried and there was no reason for him not to be. She understood. The only way to figure out if the cut was deep or not, at that moment, was to physical pierce it. Harli's jaw tightened as she stuck her finger into the wound, feeling the grittiness of the searing pain burning through her muscles. To her avail, the wound wasn't as deep as she thought,

"It's not deep, Dale. I'll be fine…" She choked out. Dale put his arm on her back and softly pushed her along while guiding her back to the Winnebago,

"That's still a lot of blood lost and that's the most important area for getting blood flow to the brain! Let's get you back quick, Carol's waiting by herself."

"By herself? But aren't Daryl and Andrea there, too?" Her raspy voice asked while her weary eyes looked over at Dale. Dale shook his head,

"No. Daryl and Andrea couldn't sleep so they went out to look for Sophia, I came out here to see if I could find them, and then I saw the Walker trying to get at you in the car." Harli's eyes narrowed at the sound of Daryl and Andrea's plan to go out into the woods to find Sophia, together, alone. A slight wince of jealousy struck at Harli's heart, causing her to look back forward and avoid Dale's stare. Her feet stumbled along to keep her going and a hard lump of air slowly rolled down her sore throat. She coughed and felt hands grab her arm once her torso doubled over. Dale slipped her arm over his neck and put a hand around her waist, helping her along as they neared the Winnebago, "This is the last time you run off by yourself. You could've gotten yourself killed!" She heard the concern mixed with venom in his voice. She looked over at him and smiled,

"I'm sorry Dale, it was stupid of me." He sighed and shook his head,

"I should've just kept an eye on you."

"Stop beating yourself up Dale. I know you care about my well-being, but it's not going to help what has already happened." She only felt him shake his head and heard him sigh to himself. She knew he was beyond reasoning at that point, so she kept her mouth shut and continued towards the RV. Carol saw them and stood on top of the Winnebago, putting her hand to her mouth.

"Stay here and don't move, I'm gonna go get the medical kit."

"What happened!?" Carol asked from above, staring down at Harli's bloody neck and chest. Harli looked up, but was too exhausted to say anything to the meek woman. Carol climbed off the top of the Winnebago and ran to her side, "What happened? You have blood everywhere!" Carol asked once again, alarm by Harli's demeanor. Dale walked out with the kit and calmed Carol,

"She just got cut by glass, Carol. She was attacked by a couple Walkers." Carol stepped back as Dale began to clean up the wound around Harli's neck. Dale looked over at Carol, "Carol, I'm going to need you to cover her mouth, because when this alcohol hits her skin, all hell's gonna break loose."

**.:o:.**

Dale and Carol sat atop the Winnebago quietly, waiting for Daryl and Andrea to return. Harli was sitting in the Winnebago, resting after her tough and stupid ordeal. Her neck throbbed, but the painless medical ointment Dale had put on it eased her pain for only a little while. With her eyes closed, Harli could hear and feel her heart pounding in her ears. But miraculously, Harli picked up the sound of footsteps on top of the Winnebago and looked up curiously. Someone began to climb down the ladder, Harli looking over the side of the seat while narrowing her eyes. Carol ripped open the door and Harli heard stray gasping coming from her, watching as the stray mother jumped on the bed and began to cry.

"We heard a gunshot…." Daryl voice became audible from the outside, "What the hell? Why you got blood all over you?" Harli's legs pushed her up out of the seat and Harli noticed the door was already open, half the hard work already done. Her wobbly legs stumbled down the stairs and she practically tripped, her hand reaching out and grabbing the doorframe at the last second. The green eyes that occupied her face finally found Daryl in her tired gaze, Harli stumbling sideways against Dale,

"You're back…" She breather and Daryl's eyes narrowed as he saw the bright, white bandages wrapped around her neck,

"What the hell happened to you!?" He asked rather loudly, Dale putting his hand up andvstanding in front of Harli defensively,

"Calm down now Daryl." Daryl only kept his eyes focused on Harli, concern and irritation washed over his face with his breathing slightly unsteady. Harli watched as his jaw muscles tightened and he gritted his teeth, now staring at Dale with his eyes ready to kill. Dale put his hands up with reason, "She was attacked by a couple Walkers… I got to her before things went sour. Now let's be civilized here and don't start your shouting. More Walkers could be nearby." Dale looked back at Harli and saw the fatigued, solemn look on her face. He sighed and nodded, "I'll give you two some privacy…" He brushed past Daryl, who stared Harli with nothing but a hard look. She could see the tension in the muscles of his face, as well as his thick set of shoulders. She wondered if he was mad at her personally, or if he was mad at his own self. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Dale put a hand on Andrea's shoulder and they both walked into the Winnebago, closing the door behind them.

Let the awkward silence begin.

"What the hell did you do? Goin' out by yourself without any protection at all, you tryin' to get yourself killed!?" His tone continued to voice his anger and she crossed her arms while looking at him; his blue eyes grew darker by the second,

"I didn't know that I was going to be attacked. Besides, I was on my way back to the Winnebago anyways."

"You're supposed to be ready for anything! You know… for some educated girl, you sure are stupid." By this time he began to slowly pace, chewing on the inside of his cheek anxiously. Harli sighed and put her hands down on the car behind her, leaning on the hood. Her arm and clothing were lightly covered with dry blood,

"Yeah I know… I wasn't expecting you to go off with Andrea to look out for Sophia, or I would've stayed here." She admitted and he stopped, watching her as she uncomfortably shifted on the vehicle, now sitting on it. She leaned over her legs and clasped her hands together, "I don't even know why I was walking off away from here. It's just like my legs carried me without me knowing. I wasn't even paying attention and when I finally realized I was around them, I hid in a car and managed to kill one. But the other broke through the window and pulled on me. A big piece of glass from the window cut me open." She rubbed the bandages around her neck, feeling her wound pulse from her touch. Daryl's mood shifted and he calmed somewhat, but not completely. He walked up to her,

"You're not gonna be goin' off on your little depressed walks no more, that's my only say on the matter. We can't be losin' people no more and I can't be losin' you neither!"

The two only stared at each other in the moments of silence.

Daryl felt it was partly his fault for her being attacked. When he had decided to leave and go off for Sophia, after what Dale had told him, his mind was split in two. Pure instinct told him that he should go find Harli and he had felt completely uneasy as he walked to the forest, but he ignored it mostly. During that time, his mind told him that she wouldn't need him anyways and he should just keep at his search with Andrea. He felt bad, and he knew that the choice he had taken was wrong and could have very well been devastating if Dale wouldn't have gotten there when he did.

"I'm sorry…" He heard her soft voice beat through the air and into his ears. His mind drained and he looked up to see her staring at the ground, her face glowing softly in the dull moonlight above them. She had a grave look on her face after she finally realized she could have died that night, easily because she couldn't protect herself without her weapons. Daryl huffed,

"No need to apologize anyways, it's over and done with, and you're alive, aren't ya?" He asked, glancing over at her. She nodded and stepped onto the pavement below her, walking up to Daryl a bit wobbly. She smiled softly and looked up at him,

"I know you probably don't get this much… but I'm really glad I met you." She laughed to herself, looking shyly down at the ground. His eyes narrowed,

"Why? Just some asshole tryin' to survive like everyone else." She looked back up at him,

"Yeah, but… I'd be dead without you. And I wouldn't want to be in any other group but this." She saw the confusion and cloudiness in his eyes. He didn't know what to say, what to do, or react to the words that she had said to him. No one was nice much to him and he could return with the same hate and anger that was thrown at him. But he was completely indifferent to the kindness, gentleness, charisma, and loyalty she had displayed towards him. She never got angry easily, at him for that matter and only showed her mental and emotional strength when times were tough. She didn't care much for herself or her safety; she only displayed compassion for others. But like him, he had nothing to lose and nothing much to fight for but survival.

He didn't understand why she was so interesting.

He was caught completely off guard as she walked up closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in with a soft, but tight grip. He had never been hugged in that manner before in his entire life. She rested her chin on his shoulder and took a breath, letting it out slowly as she took in his warmth. He didn't move and he looked down at her, not knowing what to do in the certain situation. Even though they had been through hell, her hair still smelt oddly sweet. He lightly flinched when she put her hand on the back of his head, but his muscles relaxed when he felt her soft hands run through his hair. She smiled when she could hear his heartbeat, and it was beating fast.

"Thank you for everything."


	11. Chapter 11

The sun broke through the morning clouds and shined brightly throughout the sky. The highway group had woken up early to ready some supplies for Sophia if she ever were to find her way back to the highway. It was time for them to leave and meet up with the other half of their group and try to continue their search from there. Harli's head pounded from the cut on her neck as the blood loss had taken a toll on both her and her brain overnight. It hurt almost as badly as the morning after a horrendous, drunken night with her father. Waking up after being knocked unconscious could've felt slightly better than what she was experiencing now.

She was helping Carol and Andrea gather supplies to put in front of the Mustang for Sophia. Harli found a small bottle of white paint and painted a message on the windshield for Sophia if she were ever to come across the highway. Carol only stood back and stared at their attempts to help her daughter by the means they had just done. Dale called out to them that they should be heading out soon. Harli looked over and watched as Daryl was readying his motorcycle to leave and guide the caravan to their destination. Andrea was going to drive Shane's SUV that he had rigged and Dale looked after Carol in the Winnebago.

That left Harli with Daryl once again.

She caught his eyes and he stopped for a moment, staring back at her leaf green eyes. She saw a small nod come from his head as me maneuvered his hands back through the saddle bags of the bike. She then remembered the hug and kiss she had given him in the past few days. He was just one of those guys that would shrug it off his shoulder and act as if nothing happened the next day. Harli must've been making him incredibly confused and maybe even a bit uncomfortable. But after the couple weeks they have known each other, they had become pretty good friends and somewhat understood each other's backgrounds, which only made them closer. Harli did notice, after last night, that Daryl was incredibly protective and concerned for her safety over anyone else in the group. But Rick and Shane did leave him in charge over his part of the group, so maybe that was just part of what he stood for as leader.

Or maybe not….

She heard the engine of the Winnebago roar to life and looked over seeing Dale manning the wheel. She groaned and walked over towards Daryl as she rubbed the soreness under the bandages on her neck. She stopped and placed a hand on her hip, staring down at Daryl with a pain ridden face. He looked up at her, narrowing his eyes, "What's your problem?" He asked roughly. She pulled the hair back from her face and the cold sweat of her forehead glistened in the sunlight,

"Nothing, just feeling slightly worse for the wear." He stood up and stared down at his bike, deeming it fit for travel. He then looked over at Harli and stared with narrowed eyebrows,

"You look like shit, dear Lord."

"Thanks…." She thanked sarcastically and he threw her a rag, watching as she wiped her forehead of the sweat and leaned up against a car. Dale was turning the Winnebago around and they were readying to leave down the highway. Daryl started the bike,

"I'm leading again, so are you riding or what?" He asked. Harli's breathing became unsteady before she threw the rag to the ground and ran over to the other side of the car. She grabbed her hair and heaved over; vomiting up whatever water she had drank in the past few hours. She groaned and took a deep breath, turning around on her wobbly legs. She could hear Daryl's voice, but couldn't make out what he was saying, watching his lips move inaudibly. Double vision took over her eyes and cloudiness overtook her pupils in nothing but a blur. She rapidly batted her eyelids to try and focus out her vision, but sickness overtook her. "Go get in the Winnebago! You ain't gonna be able to ride with me!" His words didn't hit Harli's ears and he watched as she fell to her knees and slid down the side of the car. Dale had the Winnebago turned around already and was already heading off without them. Dale figured that they would catch up in no time, but he didn't realize Harli was in such a dazed state.

"Hey!?" Daryl yelled off at the Winnebago, but both he and Andrea didn't stop. He growled to himself and slapped a hand on the hood of a nearby vehicle, "Dammit!" He walked over to Harli and her head rolled about on her neck. She was conscious, but he had his doubts that she knew where she was or what was going on. He knelt down and grabbed her arm, putting it over his shoulder, "Get up, come on now!" Harli groaned and tried to pull herself up, but Daryl had already gotten her to her feet. He dragged her over to the bike and set her on it, closely to the front. He leaned over and pointed a finger at her face,

"Don't move at all, you hear me?" Harli nodded softly, barely comprehending what he had even said. He sat behind her and she leaned up against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder as he gripped the handlebars and turned his bike around. He pulled down on the throttle and the bike's wheels turned faster and faster as he caught up to the Winnebago. He managed to get Dale pulled over and him and Carol jumped out of the Winnebago,

"What's wrong with her?" Carol asked and Daryl pulled the kick stand down on his bike. He grabbed her body and lifted it off the bike,

"Dunno, she passed out after you guys took off. She was holdin' her head, I think it's the cut on her neck. Ain't getting' enough blood to her brain." Daryl walked past the two into the Winnebago and walked Harli towards the back, lying her down on the bed softly. Dale walked back in the Winnebago and Daryl stopped while staring into Dale's worried eyes, "Let's get goin', we're burnin' time." Dale nodded and watched as Daryl walked out of the Winnebago, starting his bike back up again. Dale gave one last glance at Harli and Carol walked back in,

"Go keep an eye on her and try to get her to wake up." Dale said while sitting back in the driver's seat of the Winnebago. Carol took a water bottle and rag and walked back, feeling the Winnebago moving under her feet. She sat down next to the carefully placed Harli and put her hand down on her forehead, feeling an intense fever hitting her skin. She took a deep breath and opened up the bandaging on her neck, peeling it back to see a sticky lot of blood on the bandage. It was fresh, but it was unnatural and very thick.

Harli was so stressed and worried about Sophia and the rest of the group that she had neglected her own needs for the sake of others. She was completely dehydrated.

**o.o**

Harli felt an incredibly cool sensation in her right arm and slowly and steadily, it crawled through her arm, down her chest, and up into her head. It was delightful and it made Harli's sickness fade away and she could think for herself again. The darkness of her mind and the scrambled voices around her intensified as everything became clear. She felt her eyes open and white and black blur scrambled around in her vision. They finally began to focus and she heard footsteps on some type of hard flooring. Delirious, she looked around the room, uncertain of her surroundings and leaned up on the soft surface her body occupied. She stared down, feeling some soft, white sheets under her fingers.

_Am I dead?_

_No, this is all just a dream._

_I just passed out though, where the hell could I be in such a short period of time?_

She looked down and saw a needle stuck in her arm and a large bag of fluids pumping the unknown liquids into her veins. Her phobia flooded her mind and she grabbed the needle, ripping it out of the large, blue, pulsating vein in the valley of her arm. A cry of pain escaped her throat and she held her arm tightly as the newly hydrated blood pumped out from under her skin. Harli turned at the sound of heavy footsteps to see the door to the bedroom swinging open and an older man, possibly older than day, rushing to her side,

"What are you doing? You need those fluids!" He pulled the needle, still hooked to the bag, from the floor before anymore fluids could escape. Harli jumped back to the other side of the bed and shook her head, pleading for him,

"Please no! Don't put it back in my arm, I don't need it!" Harli began to grow frantic and her heart beat faster at the sight of the stranger. She didn't know where she was, who this man was, and where her familiar group was,

"Rick!? I'm gonna need a little help with one of your people in here!" She heard another set of footsteps and turned to see the familiar face of Rick and Lori entering the room quickly. Rick knelt down next to her, putting his hand up in attempts to calm her mind,

"Harli… you have to calm down. You're safe here and Hershel's here to help you." Harli panted as she continued to stare back and forth from person to person. Lori sat on the edge of the bed in front of her and placed a hand on Harli's shoulder, making her jump lightly at the touch. Lori tilted her head down,

"Hey… it's going to be alright here, okay?" Harli took a much needed breath and closed her eyes, opening them when she felt she was calm enough. She looked to Lori,

"What happened…?" She asked. The two looked over to Hershel as he stood at the edge of the bed, staring down at Lori, then to Harli,

"That cut on your neck was deeper than you expected. You were so dehydrated your blood wasn't able to reproduce enough and pump blood to your brain because it was so thick. That one boy told me that you were throwing up and became disorientated after a while, that were the side effects of your body beginning to shut down." Harli didn't realize that her health was diminishing right under her skin. She had neglected her most basic needs of life without even knowing it, there were so many things on her mind lately that she had even forgotten the last time she had eaten. "You're going to need more fluids before you can be up and walking again. You shouldn't risk it." Lori felt goose bumps rise on Harli's skin under her fingers. She looked up at Hershel,

"She's afraid of needles."

"Just give me a bottle of water and I'll keep myself hydrated. Just please, don't stick me with anymore of those things." Hershel and Rick exchanged glances and Rick nodded. Hershel looked down, and then back up at Harli's pleading eyes,

"Alright, but with that cut of your neck you need to eat and drink properly or it's not going to heal right." Harli nodded in confirmation and Hershel exited the room. Rick looked over at Lori,

"I'm going to go talk to the rest of the group about continuing the search for Sophia." Lori nodded and looked back over at Harli. She sat more comfortably on the bed as she grabbed a towel and placed it on her arm to rid of the bleeding,

"When was the last time you ate?" Harli only shrugged and sighed, running a hand through her hair,

"I don't know. Since Sophia's been missing…. So…. Three days maybe?" Lori shook her head and looked down,

"You need to keep up your strength."

"I know. I've just been so stressed out about finding Sophia lately." Lori patted Harli's leg and smiled, looking up at her,

"Well then, I'll go make you something to eat." Lori stood up and placed her hands in her back pocket and Harli stared up at her with a smile,

"Thank you." Harli lied in the bed and stared at the shabby ceiling above her. She could hear the faint clanking of silverware and dishware from what she had assumed was the kitchen. She leaned back up again and pulled the towel from her arm, staring down at the tiny hole in her skin. The blood clotted and it was no longer bleeding, so Harli threw her legs around the edge of the bed, standing up on the hard floor. Vertigo claimed her mind quickly and Harli's body swayed, her legs stopping her to gather herself before pursuing on. Once her eyes focused on all her surroundings, she walked to the door and opened it, stepping out and taking in the small features of the house. She looked out the window and saw the group crowded around the hood of the Cherokee, their mouths moving and heads nodding in agreement with one another. She walked to the door and placed her hand on the handle,

"Don't even try to go out there." She heard Lori's voice faintly echo through the house. Harli turned her head over her shoulder to see the woman towards the back of the house in a small kitchen, cutting up some vegetables on a cutting board. Lori looked back up at her, "Come on," Harli mentally sighed and turned on her heel, walking into the kitchen. She leaned up against the counter across from Lori and watched as she used the knife to chop different vegetables and pork so Harli could replenish her strength, "You need to not stress so much about this situation we're in. You need to eat and drink more or you won't have the strength to even try and go out to search for Sophia. You won't really be any use to us if you're weak or dead, will you?"

"I know… I just haven't been the one to eat a whole lot. I got really sick when I was younger and it somehow shrunk my stomach so I'm never hungry at all." Lori looked up at Harli briefly and then back down as she finished up the food,

"That explains why you're almost as skinny as I am." Harli smiled softly,

"Yeah, no matter how much I eat I don't gain a pound. I only weigh like…. 125. But I am pretty strong for my stature." Lori smiled and put the food out on a plate. Harli looked back to the door, "So what are they doing out there anyways?"

"Hershel has a map of the surrounding areas, so they're going to use that to better plan out the search. But there's no way Rick and Shane will be able to go out today, so I think they'll start tomorrow."

"Good, then that means I'll be well enough to go along, too."

"We'll see if Hershel will clear you for that." Harli's mind clicked and she looked up at Lori,

"How's Carl?" She watched as Lori's movements slowed and Harli was expecting the worse. Lori looked up with a smile,

"He's going to be just fine."

**o.o**

Harli walked out of the house, her stomach full from the food that Lori had prepared for her. She stood on the porch and stared over the beauty of Hershel's farm. There were fields as far as she could see that were stopped by the lining of the forest. It was so warm and quiet that it could easily be mistaken as a new world with no violence or dangers. Her group members, she could see, were eased with the feeling of a false reality. Carol and Lori were setting up their tents in a large circle of a bundle of trees not too far from the house. She couldn't see Glenn anywhere and assumed he was off helping Dale with the Winnebago. She stepped off into the grass and walked over towards the camp that was being set up, Carol taking notice to Harli's appearance,

"Harli, how are you feeling?" She asked and Harli nodded at her with a smile,

"A lot better, thanks."

"You're tents over there. I set it up for you." Harli looked over to where Carol had pointed and saw her tent set up under a smaller maple tree. The door was open and she saw her backpack and bed already set up inside,

"Carol… you didn't have to do that for me."

"You were sick, and I didn't want you to strain yourself when you finally came to." Arguing with Carol wasn't something she wanted to do, so she thanked her and walked off towards the Winnebago, seeing Dale propped on top of it.

"Hey Dale, where's Glenn?" She asked while holding her hand over her face to avoid the suns deadly rays. Dale stood up and looked down at her,

"Uh, he and Maggie went off to town to get some more antibiotics and medical supplies."

"Maggie?"

"Hershel's daughter," Harli nodded and looked around as if trying to find someone or something. Dale noticed and smiled, "Daryl was askin' about you." Harli looked up confusingly and saw a smug smile on Dale's face. She raised an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes,

"Excuse me?" Dale looked up and around, nodding to himself,

"You were passed out for a good couple hours or so. He came up to me and Rick asking about you, making sure you were alright."

"Really now…?" Harli mumbled to herself and she put her hands in her back pockets and looked around her, trying to catch a glimpse of Daryl trudging around camp.

"So where is he anyways?"

"After seeing a map, and Rick and Shane being unable to travel for a while, he should be heading off to search for Sophia by himself sometime soon." Harli hummed to herself and crossed her arms, looking around to try and find Daryl again.

"Hey you two," Harli and Dale looked over to see T-Dog approaching. He smiled softly, "See I wasn't the only one all sick and crazy." He looked up to Dale, "I need some help with gathering water." Dale nodded and climbed down the ladder of the Winnebago. Harli spotted Daryl as she and Dale followed T-Dog over to a well down towards the long dirt driveway of the farm. She looked to them,

"Hey, I'll be right there." She turned and jogged towards Daryl as he was walking out towards the trees. He heard her footsteps and stopped, turning to see her,

"What'd you want?" He asked gruffly and Harli stopped, walking up behind him,

"Are you going out by yourself to go look for her?"

"I'm the only one who can right now, Rick and Shane are pretty much useless."

"Well, I'll go with you." She volunteered and he stopped and turned to her once again, staring at her momentarily. He then shook his head,

"Nah, you're stayin' here. I don't need you runnin' off with me in the woods and passin' out again like you did earlier, I don't need to be savin' your ass every time somethin' goes wrong with you." He bit back. Harli crossed her arms and shook her head,

"But that was this morning, I'm better now."

"So what? Just stay here you'll just get in the way of things." Harli huffed and bit at her lip as he began to turn and walk away. Harli then remembered what Dale had said to her minutes before,

"Dale told me that you were asking about me, how I was." Daryl stopped once again and Harli watched as his back muscles tensed up. He turned halfway,

"Yeah, so what of it?" Harli couldn't help but smile to herself,

"It's not like it's the end of the world if you care about someone, Daryl," She watched as he nervously chewed on the inside of his cheek and narrowed his eyes. He threw his arm up,

"Man what're talkin' bout!? Must've hit your head or something on the car with that fall you took this mornin'. Go get some rest or do some laundry or whatever you girls sit here and do." He turned and trudged off towards the woods and Harli only rolled her eyes and sighed. She smiled to herself and turned,

'_Just tryin to avoid the obvious, poor boy.' _Harli easily caught up to Dale and T-Dog just as they were walking up to the pump to the well. Harli found a cart with a few buckets in it, wheeling it over towards the pump to give her aid. T-Dog took a bucket and placed it under the pump, taking hold of it and pumped it a few times, and then a large amount of water burst out into the bucket.

"Hey Harli, can you run over there and grab that ladle?" T-Dog pointed as Dale walked over to help with the pump. Harli nodded and walked over past the well to grab it as he and Dale began to chat with one another. Harli walked towards the two men once again, but then stopped, hearing an unfamiliar sound. Her eyes narrowed and she turned to hear a groaning and splashing sound. She pulled up a piece of wood that was covering the well and her eyes widened,

"Uh… Dale?" He looked over at her and saw the disturbed look on Harli's face. Confused, he walked over and looked down in the same hole that Harli had looked in, T-Dog still talking to Dale,

"Do whatever we have to! I don't care if I have to comb the woods like Rambo, fetch a pail of water, everyone kicks back and does their part…" T-Dog exclaimed and Harli looked to Dale's easily frantic eyes and her lips parted,

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing…?" She whispered and he looked over at her,

"Am I right?" T-Dog asked, unaware of what Dale and Harli had just experienced. They slowly stood up and stared at the well, backing up. T-Dog grabbed the ladle that Harli had given him and dipped in in the water he had just pumped, "Do your part… don't complain, that's what I always-" Dale immediately knocked the ladle from T-Dog's hand just as he had brought it to his mouth. T-Dog looked over at him with shock and confusion and Harli shook her head,

"I wouldn't drink that if I were you…" T-Dog and Harli set off back to camp to gather whoever they could. Dale stayed behind and stared at the well, still in disbelief. They returned in short time with Shane, Glenn, Lori, Andrea, and Maggie and they all crowded around the well.

They stared into the depths of the well to see a large, bulbous Walker staring up at them with lustful eyes as it clawed at the brick walls of the well. Groans, snarls, and growls echoed up the walls and ended at everyone's ears, all the survivors staring down in disbelief.

"Looks like we got us a swimmer…" Dale said while shining a flashlight in the well to get a better look. Harli sighed and put her hands on her hips, looking at Dale,

"How do you think it got down there? Must've been pretty stupid to just waltz over here and plop itself right in."

"I wonder how long its been down there…" Glenn asked, still a bit shocked by its appearance. Andrea shook her head,

"Long enough to grow gills…"

"We can't leave it down there. God knows what its doin' to the water…" Lori said, still staring down at it. Shane propped one leg up on the well and stared down at it,

"We gotta get it out."

"Easy… put a bullet in its head… I'll go get one…" T-Dog turned to walk back towards camp, but Maggie put her hand up,

"Woah guys, no…"

"Why not? It's a good plan," Glenn asked, staring at Maggie. Andrea looked over at Glenn,

"It's a stupid plan."

"If that thing hasn't contaminated the water yet, blowing its brains out definitely will." Harli said, staring down at it in confusion on how they were going to deal with the problem. Shane sighed and licked his lips,

"She's right we can't risk it."

"So… it has to come out alive." T-Dog said while looking over at Shane. He nodded,

"So to speak…"

"How do we do that?" Glenn asked questioningly. Everyone gave each other glances and each stared with equal confusion as they tried to figure out what they were going to do. After a plan was somewhat formulated, Glenn had run back to camp and brought back a large ham hind-quarter, complete with wire and rope. Shane tied it on and lowered it down the well in attempts to antagonize the Walker. The large piece of ham hit the Walker in the face several times before they realized the attempt had failed,

"Looks like he doesn't like aged meat." Harli sighed while running her hand through her hair. Dale nodded with his flashlight,

"Yeah, he's not goin' for it."

"Maybe 'cause can't have no kick and scream when you're tryin' to eat it…" T-Dog leaned over the side of the well. Lori sighed and looked up,

"He's right, there's a reason the dead didn't come back to life and start raiding our cupboards…"

"We need live bait…" Andrea said and Harli looked over at her,

"Where do you suppose we find that…?" She asked. Slowly, everyone turned and stared at Glenn, all their eyes saying the same thing. Glenn took notice and looked up, seeing all the eyes on him. He knew that there was no arguing and bit on his cheek looking down. Harli walked back and grabbed rope, and tossed it to Shane,

"Sit down here Glenn," Shane ordered and Glenn sat down at the edge of the well, his feet propped up on the bar that lied over the middle. Shane began to quickly fasten a harness of rope around him,

"Have I told you that I really like you're new haircut? You have a nice shaved head…" Glenn plead to Shane as if he were trying to get out of it. Harli and Lori walked over, handing him a flashlight and Harli handed him a rope to tie on to the Walker when he got the chance. Shane finished tying the knot and stepped back,

"Don't worry about it, bud. We're gonna getcha outta here in one piece."

"Living piece, the living part is important." Glenn handed Harli his hat and took the rope from her hand, readying himself. Harli walked over towards the pump and grabbed on to a piece of rope, standing in between Lori and Andrea. Shane grabbed the front and all hands were on deck, "Nice and slow please!"

"You'll be alright Glenn." Harli reassured with a smile as he began to drop himself into the well. Maggie crossed her arms and was uneasy about the situation,

"Oh, you people are crazy!" Feeling Glenn's weight tug on the rope, the group slowly began to let the slack go,

"You want it out of your way, dontcha?" Shane asked while keeping focus on the well,

"Give us an eye there, Maggie!" Dale nodded towards the well and Maggie hesitantly walked over, staring over the side and keeping an eye on Glenn. Slowly and steadily, the group withdrew ends of the rope and Glenn was submerged completely into the darkness. Harli struggled with the weight, even though there were still people helping around her. She hated to admit it to herself, but she was glad she had stayed here instead of going with Daryl, she was incredibly weaker than she had expected,

"You sure… this is such a good idea?" Harli asked through clenched teeth. Lori looked back at her and pulled on the rope,

"It's the best thing we can do as of now," She assured Harli. Harli looked over to the well, hearing the yearning growls of the Walker as Glenn inched closer and closer. Maggie looked down, and then back up at the group,

"A little lower…" She said and the group continued to let the slack of the rope slide through their fingers. "Little more…" Everyone watched the rope slid over the metal bar over the well. Harli turned her head at a creaking sound in front of her, but it was too late. The well pump that was holding the rope broke off the wooden platform and the rope's slack instantly went loose and they lost control over Glenn's whereabouts in the well. Glenn's shouts echoed through the well and the group became frantic. Shane dove after the pump and missed, but T-dog managed to recover it indefinitely before it disappeared, along with Glenn, into the well.

Harli fell on her back and she and Lori held on for dear life. Harli clenched her teeth and pulled back, but the weight of the pump threatened to rip from T-Dog's grasp and send Glenn to a horrible, watery grave. Harli jumped to her knees with the rope in her hand and grabbed onto the pump with T-Dog. The rest of the group followed and they all struggled to pull it up under Glenn's weight and the fraying rope. Glenn's frantic cries for help made Harli's heart drop, she didn't want to see her friend die, "Hurry up guys!" She yelled and they finally grabbed a hold of the rope. Slowly they pulled Glenn up as the rope began to fray and none of them realized how deep he had gone in the well. Harli and the rest of the group regained their footing and used whatever strength they had, making hasty progress as Glenn's voice became clearer and clearer, "Glenn!"

"Come on pull him up, pull him up!" The group was fearful for their companion as the rope became lighter and lighter by each pull. Harli saw Glenn's hands grab onto the bar above him and she and Shane ran up, each grabbing his arm and pulling him to safety. Glenn lied on the ground next to Harli and everyone panted from their fear and adrenaline,

"You okay Glenn!?" Harli asked and put a hand on his shoulder, Lori knelt down next to him and the rest crowded around, seeing that he was somewhat alright. Harli stood to her feet and stumbled slightly as her legs were shaking from anxiety. Dale shook his head,

"I guess it's back to the drawing board…" Glenn slowly got up with a huge grin on his face, a rope in his hand in accomplishment,

"Says you!" Through the entire struggle, Glenn had somehow gotten the rope tied around the Walker's body. He handed the roped to Dale and walked off, Dale staring at the rope in utter shock and awe. He felt a tug on the rope and gripped it tightly as if the Walker was like a fish on a hook. Everyone rushed over and stared down the well, seeing it tied up and ready to come out. The walker thrashed back and forth, not happy about the rope tied around its chest,

"I can't believe he did it…" Harli laughed and the others looked at each other with confused smiles at Glenn's accomplished actions

"Let's get this bastard up and get this over and done with!" Shane took hold of the rope and began to yank at it. The others took position behind him and pulled hard. It was heavier than Glenn and the pump, so it took every ounce of energy that Harli and the others had to get it out. The rope barely moved and inch and they gave up quickly,

"This isn't going to work…" Harli sighed and rubbed her forehead, and everyone turned to Maggie,

"I have an idea…." Maggie returned shortly with one of her trusty steeds from the barn. They wrapped the rope around the horn of the saddle,

"Okay, let's try again!" The group pulled again and Lori and Maggie tugged on the horses reins. The rope pulled easier, giving the group less strength to work with. Harli took some slack and wrapped it around her wrists and pulled the rope over her shoulder, turning and using her legs more than her arms,

"Come guys, keep pullin!" T-Dog shouted from the sidelines,

"Come on ya'll, almost there!" The grunts and pants from everyone flooded each other's ears, "Come on ya'll, all together!" Shane shouted and with one last heave, the Walker's body manifested from the darkness of the well. It grabbed at T-Dog and he jumped back to avoid its fat fingers that wanted to grab him so hard. It grumbled as the rope tugged more and more at its torso,

"Almost there, keep it comin'!" T-Dog yelled and the group heaved with all the strength they had, but the Walker's body didn't budge,

"What's going on!?" Glenn shouted through clenched teeth,

"It's stuck!" As if the rope was hurting the Walker, it began to cry out with exasperating gasping and growling,

"Pull!" The group gave one last heave and the rope suddenly went slack, sending Harli, Shane, and Glenn crashing to the ground. Harli panted and looked over the see only the Walker's torso clamoring on the surface and several plops of water ringing through her ears. Everyone stared in shame and disbelief that all their efforts had gone to waste once the Walker's body had split in two. The Walker's arms stretched out in attempt to grab and eat anyone who had gotten close. Harli stood up and stood next to Glenn as they watched the Walker, its grotesque stench filling their noses,

"We're going to have to seal off this well…" Harli sighed while putting her hands on her hips. Shane nodded,

"Yeah… that might be a good idea,"

"So what do we do about-" Before Andrea could finish her sentence, T-Dog had grabbed the pump handle and beat the head of the Walker in. Everyone, except Maggie, stood by and watched, already being used to such heinous actions. T-Dog panted and looked back at Andrea,

"Good thing we didn't do anything stupid like shoot it…" He threw the handle to the ground and walked away.

Harli walked back to camp, slowly behind the rest of the group. She was incredibly exhausted and her feet pounded across the dirt road slowly as she had made her way back. Her mind circled around the conversation she had with Lori earlier, '_You need to not stress so much about this situation we're in. You need to eat and drink more or you won't have the strength to even try and go out to search for Sophia. You won't really be any use to us if you're weak, nor dead, will you?'_ Harli stared at the ground, the sweat dripping from her forehead to her jawline and feeding the ground with moisture. She had been so weak to this group and hadn't done much to make a place for herself. She was saved by Rick and Glenn, saved by Daryl the night camp was attacked, saved by Daryl during the highway horde, and saved by Daryl once again this morning. It made her think the others were seeing her as weak and defenseless. She had to keep her strength up if she were to even attempt to protect and help her group.

It was time to buck up and show them what she was made of.


	12. Chapter 12

Harli knew that she had to take it easy with the injury she had on her neck. Her mind told her to rest but her heart told her to do what she could to make her place in this group. The Walker in the well had completely taken everything she had out of her for the day, but that didn't stop her from helping around the camp. She took the axe she found in the Winnebago and grabbed some firewood, with permission from Hershel, from the shed next to the house. She wheel-barrowed it over next to the fire pit and begun her work.

She swung the axe over her head and threw it down in front of her, splitting the wood expertly as she watched it snap in half. One by one the small logs split and the firewood pile grew and grew next to her. The back of her hand slid across her forehead and she huffed, her arms throbbing from the intensity of the task. She put another log on the platform and readied to split it with the sharp axe edge, but a familiar face out of the corner of her eye stopped her in her tracks.

Her breathing slowed her eyes noticed that Daryl had returned, walking into the Winnebago and disappearing. Harli's curiosity jumped when she saw a white flower in a beer bottle clutched in his hand before he had fully stepped in. She knew that Carol was in the Winnebago and noticed lately that Daryl had been growing very fond of her and the particular situation she was in. In the time Harli had worked, she had seen this many times in young adults she had observed. When a young adult with an abusive past met another person that had encountered problems in which the other had experienced before, they would grow a relationship with each other.

She and Detective Watson were two of those people. She missed him and his stupid jokes that he would spit out at her every day. But now, Harli knew that both she and Daryl had grown a relationship such as that. A sigh blew through her lips and she turned back towards the wood waiting for itself to be split in half. She cut in and threw it to the side along with the axe, letting out one final huff before stepping away from it. Running a hand through her hair, she sighed and meandered over to a chair, plopping down in it to ease herself. Her neck throbbed with soreness and her hand grazed over the bandages once again, the pressure of her fingers relieving somewhat of the pressure.

"Harli, are you feeling alright?" Harli looked over her shoulder and saw Lori approaching with a set of weary eyes. Harli sat back in her seat as Lori moved around from behind her,

"Yeah, I'm fine. My neck's just a little sore and I'm tired."

"From all that struggle with the Walker in the well?" Lori asked while staring at her and Harli nodded at her question. Harli heard the door to the Winnebago open and they both turned to see Daryl stepping out, immediately walking in their opposite direction. Harli's eyes looked down as she fumbled with the edge of her shirt and Lori took notice to her meek behavior. She couldn't help but smile to herself, "You two sure have gotten close since you showed up in our group."

"What do you mean?" Harli wasn't completely clueless, but she sure didn't know anything about love and relationships. She was almost 26 years old and she had never had a boyfriend before, let alone, a boy interested in her. All throughout high school and the beginning of college, being an abuse victim, she barely had any social skills and that made her awkward then. But now, after working at the prison for a while and being in this group, she had developed more of her skills and actually had some human sociality,

"I mean… you guys talk a lot and seem to get along with him better than anyone else, and he's doesn't really seem to be mean towards you in any way." Harli kicked the grass around under her boots and could only shrug. Lori took a deep breath and let it out, looking over at Harli with her deep, blue eyes, "So he's just one of those guys that doesn't give a crap?" Harli looked up at her and then leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees,

"It's not that… I'm a psychologist and I can read all of you. I can determine your characters and personalities based on your actions and the way you speak. But Daryl… he's a whole different person. He's so difficult to read and hard to judge its… it's just so for frustrating for me…"

"I see where you're coming from. Just give it some time I guess… he'll come around. You'll know what to do when the time comes." Lori grabbed Harli's kneecap and shook it with a soft smile. Harli smiled to herself and tucked her bangs behind her ear,

"Thanks…" Lori stood up and put her hands on her hips, staring down at Harli,

"Come on girl, let's go get Carol out of that stuffy old RV and get dinner started for everyone."

**o.o**

_Harli sat in her car on the highway, hoping for the jam of the roads to finally clear so she could get on towards the coast line. Many people had gotten out of their vehicles and crowded around tailgates or left the comfort of their cars to investigate what the problem was that was keeping them from moving from town to town. Harli snapped open a pocket watch and stared at the time through the dim lighting of her vehicle. She traced her fingers over the gold finish and the spotless glass of the time-telling object, sighing to herself. Her partner, Detective Gregory Watson, had given it to her as a gift. She didn't know exactly why he had and she missed him and his incredibly stupid jokes._

_Her head shot up when she heard the voices outside getting louder and looked up to see people leaving their cars and crowding in the streets. Harli put the watch down and stared curiously out of the windshield of her car while opening her door, stepping out a staring at the sky. The blaring sound of helicopters reverberated overhead, making the curiosities of everyone heighten. The caravan of helicopters made way over the tree line of the forest next to the highway. Harli shut the door of her car and made her way to the forestry as she heard a rather large thundering sound. She soon began to jog as the thunderous sounds became more frequent. She heard many gasps, strains, and screams from the crowd that had gathered in the trees._

_Harli stopped as the orange, glistening radiance of fiery explosions danced throughout the sky. The helicopters were dropping bombs all over the city to try and rid of the sickness that were consuming the lives of the innocent faster than they could even dream of controlling. Harli put her hand to her mouth and gasped as the many bombs exploded, wiping out the different districts of the Atlanta she once knew. Blood curdling screams made a sharp shiver run up Harli's spine. More and more screams carried themselves to her ears and panicked civilians began to run past Harli where she stood waiting for what was ravaging through the forest._

_Dozens of the infected came out of nowhere, grabbing whatever they could to eat and then moving onto the next. Many people ran by her with blood draining from their bodies with horrific bites and painful, ghastly faces. Harli turned to a loud growl and turned to see one of the infected grabbing at her. She yelped and stumbled back up the hill, falling backwards. The corpse hissed through its teeth and snarled as it went in for the kill, but Harli pulled her leg back and kicked it in the chest, sending it plummeting down the hill._

_Harli squirmed in the dirt and finally found her footing. She jumped up and hurried back to the highway as fast as her feet could take her. There were so many people flooding around it was hard for Harli to maneuver around the cars without getting jammed up. She jumped on top of a car and continued to move from vehicle to vehicle before she came to her own. She jumped back down to the asphalt and ripped open the door, scrambling around to get whatever she could._

_She opened the back door and grabbed her backpack and her trusty shotgun. She quickly strapped her pistol holster to her leg and slapped the pistol down into its holder, making sure it stayed tight. There wasn't much more time before the corpses had reached the highway and continued their onslaught. Crowds of people panicked and quickly moved away as fast and far as they could away from the corpses. Harli then popped open her truck and threw her backpack in, stuffing some clothing into the bag just in case she was stranded out in the middle of the woods. The anxiety and adrenaline of her situation made her hands shake and made it hard to do the tasks she was trying to do. She heard the engine of a car roar to life and suddenly the squealing tires of a car. _

_She gasped when the car in front of her revved backwards and shoved her own vehicle backwards, slamming the bumper against her legs. She was pinned between the bumper of her car and the bumper the one behind her. Harli cried out in pain and grabbed onto the trunk of her car, pushing against it to try and pry herself from the vehicles grasp. She used all the muscles she could, but the car was barely moving. A ghastly cry to her right caused her to look as two corpses spotted her and pursued after her for an easy meal. They slammed up against her car and reached for her, their fingers only inches away from Harli's warm skin. She moved her torso sideways to avoid they're yearning fingers, her body straining from the clenched muscles in her legs. She reached down for her gun and yanked it out, pointing it at their heads and firing consecutively, finally putting the poor souls out of their misery. She gritted her teeth and used both her arms and legs, pushing against the cars. Every muscle in her body flexed and slowly, the car moved just enough for her to wiggle her legs free. _

_Her fingers latched onto her backpack and she seized her shotgun from the ground. A large group of the undead spotted her and she quickly rounded around, running towards the forestry on the other side of the highway. Others from the highway scattered faster than Harli had expected. She maneuvered around the cars and dove over the guard rail, sliding into the trees from the ramp of dirt. She regained her footing and quickly moved off as she saw a few stray corpses following after her. She was a fast runner, but she wouldn't last forever._

_She ran for her life and never looked back._

Harli slowly opened her eyes as she stared at the dull, grey lining of her tent that slowly pulsated in a soft breeze. She could hear the faint sounds of birds chirping the morning away in the far gone forest around them, even a few in the maple tree overhead. The nights were slowly growing colder, and Harli rubbed the cold skin on her arms to rid of the uncomfortable feeling. The warmth of the wound on her neck made her shiver upon its first touch of the day.

She leaned up and ran her fingers through her hair, feeling strong and happy with herself as she stretched her tense back. The meal that she, Lori, and Carol had made wasn't large, but it was fit and Harli was still a bit full from it. She pulled the blankets off her body and grabbed her jeans, sliming them onto her bare legs and tightening the buttons around her waist. Her hands brought her long brown hair to the side of her neck, her fingers making quick work of a braid down the side of her head. As she tied her boots onto her feet, she saw a grim reflection of herself in the hatchet's blade, her green eyes staring back at herself dully. With a sigh, Harli grabbed the hatchet and tucked the handle through the gap between her pants waistband and her overworked belt.

She crawled to the doorway of her tent, unzipping it and lifting herself for the first time out of the day. She stared at the sun and noticed it was higher than usual, signaling that Harli had most likely slept in for at least two or three hours. She arched her back once again and sighed, walking into the camp where Lori and Carol were hanging freshly washed clothes, "Oh well good morning you," Carol smiled as she watched Harli walk into camp. A warm breeze blew made its way through the camp once again, making Harli's bangs show more of her face,

"Morning… did I sleep in long?" Harli asked and Lori smiled while she grabbed a shirt and clothes pin,

"About as much as me, I just woke up too. But no worry, you needed the rest." Lori was right. Harli only had managed a good four or five hour sleeping regiment over the past few days. Only to add on top of that, she was wounded and had to build up her strength. "Anyways… Carol and I were talkin' and… she came up with the idea that all us girls should go and cook dinner in that big ol kitchen in the house tonight. After their hospitality and everything Hershel has given us, I think it would be nice." Lori voiced while pinning up some pants on the clothes line. Harli looked over at Carol briefly, then back to Lori,

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Harli knew she had to pitch in with the dinner later on this evening. It's the least she could do for Hershel mending her broken state. The woman then turned as Rick's voice bellowed through their ears,

"Morning everyone. Let's get goin', we gotta lot of ground to cover." He walked up to Carol's Cherokee, as well as the rest of the search team that seemed to show up out of nowhere. Harli excused herself from the two working women and walked up as Rick began to speak, "Alright, everyone's getting new search grids today. If she went as far as the farm house that Daryl found she most likely headed further east than we've been so far." Harli looked over to see Daryl walking up and putting one of his flannel shirts on. For the first time she had seen, Daryl actually wore a shirt with sleeves. Harli swore to herself that Daryl was allergic to that certain type of apparel and it was damn well illegal in Darylville.

The conversation between Jimmy and Rick dimmed in Harli's mind as she saw a rather large scar extending itself proudly across Daryl's chest. Her curiosity jumped forth as she stared at it blindly, but noticed Daryl was putting his shirt on quickly before anyone could see it. He snapped his shirt shut as the conversation came to him and his blue irises took notice to Harli's demanding eyes. She looked away quickly as he stared at her questioningly. His focus came onto Shane and Rick when Shane directed the conversation towards him,

"Well whoever slept in that cupboard was no bigger than about… yey high." Daryl maneuvered his hand to show an estimation of the person's height,

"Good lead." Andrea mumbled. Rick looked over at Daryl,

"Then that's where we'll pick up her trail then."

"Maybe, if not imma borrow a horse… head up to the ridge right here and get a whole birds eye view of the grid. If she's out there, I'll spot her." Daryl said while tossing his finger about on the map in front of him. T-Dog looked over at Daryl,

"Good idea, maybe you'll see that Chupacabra up there too…"

"Chupacabra?" Rick asked and all eyes fixed to Daryl in question as he stared with confusion back at them. Dale placed the large bag of guns on the hood of the Cherokee,

"What? You never heard it? First night in camp, Daryl tells us the whole thing reminds him of the time he went squirrel hunting and he saw a Chupacabra." He handed a shotgun to Rick and Jimmy couldn't help but laugh. Daryl stared with a deadly intent at the young boy,

"What you brayin' at, jackass?" Jimmy's smile fell and his eyes filled with fear, making Harli snicker to herself. Rick shook his head,

"So you believe in a blood sucking dog?"

"Are there dead people walkin' around?" Daryl retorted, making a rather good point. Jimmy then grabbed at a shotgun on the hood,

"Woah, you ever fire one of these?" Rick asked accusingly. Jimmy only shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal,

"Well if I'm goin' out I want one." Harli watched as Daryl scoffed and shouldered his crossbow,

"Yeah, and people in hell want Slurpee's." Daryl shook his head and walked off towards the horse stables out past the house. Like a little child running to her father after her mother objecting to her doing something, Harli walked up to Rick,

"Rick, I want to go out, too." Rick raised an eyebrow and only stared at her for a moment, deliberating on a decision. Harli crossed her arms and waited, but he only sighed and shook his head,

"I don't know Harli, I don't think you're bodies up for trekking around in the woods for hours on end. I think you should stay here and at least get one more days rest before you even try to think about going out with us."

"But if I go with you and Shane, or Andrea, or Daryl, I can at least have someone watch my back. I'm fast on my feet, you've seen that." Rick put a hand on his hip and dropped his head. He shook it once again and put a hand up,

"I see where you're coming from, but I can't take the risk of something happenin' to you in the woods."

"But Rick-"

"No more arguin' there Harli, you'll just be spinnin' round with nowhere else to go. You're not goin' out with us, and that's final word we have here." Shane spit back at her as he walked up to interject the conversation. Harli grew incredibly irritated and only shook her head, turning around a stalking away. She stomped off past Lori and Carol, leaving into the tall, green grass, agitated about her the feebleness and how her injury was holding her back. But then again, she couldn't help but be compelled by Rick's words, as well as Shane's and Daryl's. It was hard for her to experience concern from others, but she was kind of getting used to it and particularly liked to be cared for by others. Her anger subsided, but she was still forlorn that, nevertheless, useless again today.

She looked down to the horse barn and remembered that Daryl was readying a horse to set out on his daily journey. She crossed her arms and walked over to the barn, the soft breeze continuing to blow around her. Her boots trailed across the grass in a quiet step, and for once in the past couple days, her neck didn't hurt or pulsate with pain. Her body moved around the doorway, the shade of the barn capturing her shadow as she walked in. The horse was almost ready for travel, and Daryl was readying to fetch the saddle. Harli leaned up against a stall door, watching as he put the pad on the horses back,

"I never saw you as a horse ridin' man." She stated with slight amusement. He looked at her from over his shoulder, a bit surprised by her appearance,

"Yeah, there's a lot of things you don't know but me. You're just one of those assumin' types of girls." Harli tilted her head and chewed on the inside of her cheek. He was such a wonder to her, and she had never encountered a man, or person like him for that matter. Hearing no words coming from her mouth, he turned sideways to stare at her, "You comin' in here tryin' to convince me to let you go out?" Harli shrugged her shoulders and shook her hand, pushing herself off of the stall door and resting her hands on her back pockets,

"No, just thought I'd come down for some friendly conversation." She heard him scoff and watched him only shake his head. He walked over towards the saddle and lifted it off the stand, swinging it over towards the horse's body. Daryl gently placed the saddle on the horses back, pulling all the strap down in order to secure the riding pad. He slowed his movements as a thought deliberated in his head and left his mouth without his brains consent,

"How you feelin' now? Not passin' out anywhere?" Harli smiled to herself at the hesitation in his voice and kicked at the dirt below her,

"I'm better now… Rick might let me actually go out for searching tomorrow."

"So Rick you're daddy now or somethin'? Gonna listen to everythin' he says?"

"No… but taking his word for it is probably in the best interest of my health. And you stopping me yesterday probably saved me a lot of trouble." Harli admitted more to herself than him. Daryl glanced back at her for a moment, then back to the securing the saddle on the horse one last time.

"Well I guess this groups main job description is to save sorry asses like you every chance we can get." He bit back at her. His constant irritation with everything about Harli was just a mask he put up, with both her and everything else. He didn't know how to deal with the thoughts and feelings she put inside his head, and he was incredibly confused all the time when he was around her. He didn't know what to think, how to act, or what to say to her most of the time. She was all too kind to him it was almost scary. But what scared him the most was how _cute _he though she was when she got irritated or angry.

"Helloooo?" Harli moved her head and narrowed her eyes as she tried to speak with him. Daryl turned with a confused look on his face,

"What?"

"Should you be the one staying here and resting for the day? Or you just gonna continue hanging out in La-La land?" She asked and she shook his head briefly before stepping a foot in the stirrup, lifting himself up and landing himself in the saddle. He yanked back on the horse's reigns and the horse turned to face Harli. She looked up at him,

"There ain't nothin' wrong with me. Just 'cause you're some brain doctor don't mean you have to sit here and try to doctor my mind every chance you get or whenever I zone off." He growled down at her. Harli sighed and crossed her arms, shaking her head and turning out towards the doors,

"You are a difficult one…" Daryl's eyes narrowed and he kicked at the horse, making it walk after her. Harli walked out of the barn and began to walk up the hill back towards camp while Daryl easily caught up to here,

"What do you mean difficult?" Harli smiled and stopped, turning on her boots heel back to face him. She only shook her head,

"Nothing. Just, good luck on your search, and don't do anything reckless." She gave one last glance at him and began to walk off again. He sat on the horse for a moment,

"Hey!" Harli turned back at him when he called after her. He nodded back at her, "If you don't got nobody to go search with tomorrow, I'll take you with me." Harli smiled at his invitation and nodded,

"Yeah, sure. Thanks." She thanks and he nodded once again, turning the horses head towards the gates of the field that led to the forest. Harli watched briefly, then turned and continued to walk back towards the camp.

**o.o**

"I win again, Glenn!" Harli slammed her hand down on the shabby table and Glenn groaned, tossing his head back in defeat. He threw the cards in his hand back on the table and rubbed his hand through his hair, his hat not occupying the top of his head in that particular moment,

"How are you so good at cards? That's the eighth game in a row…" Harli leaned back in the seat and smiled, only laughing to herself,

"I don't know. I guess my psychological practice helps me with reading the faces of other people."

"Hey, now that's not fair. You're just too smart to play this game."

"You're the one who's Asian." Harli stared for a moment before realizing what she had said, her mouth sliding open, "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that." Glenn smiled and laughed to himself,

"It's alright, you've just been hanging out with Daryl too much."

"At least I call you Glenn and not Chinaman." The two laughed for a moment and Harli noticed that Glenn's smile faltered as he began to twiddle with his fingers. His dark eyes stared at the table and Harli tilted her head curiously, narrowing her eyes,

"What's wrong Glenn?" She asked. Glenn looked up and she saw the hesitation in his face,

"Can I confide something in you?"

"Yeah, of course." Harli shifted forward and her full attention was now on Glenn,

"So… you know Maggie right?" Harli nodded, a quick flash of Maggie's face running through her mind. Glenn licked his lips and tried to find the words to say on what was bothering him so much, "She's been acting really weird lately… like we uh…. Kinda had sex on our run yesterday…. And since then, she's just been acting mean towards me and like she doesn't want anything to do with me. She's being really, really confusing..."

"Yeah I know what you mean…" Harli mumbled,

"Huh?" Harli looked back up at him, trying to pick out words of wisdom from her brain,

"I can't really give you a whole lot of relationship advice here because I've never had a boyfriend before and don't really know a lot. But with whatever you did with Maggie and whatever you're feeling now, I'm sure she's feeling the same way. She's probably really confused on what's going on and everything you two are doing is going really fast for both of you because you've only known each other for what…? Three, maybe four days? I'm sure you've tried to talk to her about it and she rejects you… maybe try to forget about the whole thing and start fresh? You're a good man Glenn, she'll come around."

"Wait… you've never had a boyfriend before?" Harli sighed and put her hand on her face, shaking her head. She looking through her fingers,

"Out of everything I said that's all you caught?"

"No, no, no I got everything you said… it's just hard to believe someone like you's never had a boyfriend before…"

"How's that so hard to believe?"

"I don't know… just someone like you… it's just weird."

"Well… it's hard for me to believe you've never had a girlfriend before." Harli said and their conversation was suddenly interrupted to the Winnebago's door opening. Both were surprised to see Dale stepping in, and he seemed equally surprised to see them as well,

"Hey there, didn't expect you guys to be in here."

"We were playing cards." Harli smiled while standing up to greet the older man. She looked down at Glenn and winked at him, hoping he would gather up the courage to talk to Dale about his troubles. He would most likely have better words of advice for the young man. Harli looked back at Dale, "I have to go do some things with some stuff…" Dale looked at her questioningly and she quickly left the Winnebago. She heard Andrea on top of the RV and stared at her with a bit of annoyance, then turned back towards the heart of the camp. She saw T-Dog sitting down, cleaning out some of the dishes from breakfast, "Hey T," She walked up with a smile. He looked up at her briefly and smiled back, turning to the dishes,

"Hey, how's that neck of yours treatin' ya?"

"It's better now, but I've had better days." She shrugged and looked up around into the fields before her. She heard T-Dog laugh as he scrubbed a dish,

"Yeah, I'm with ya on that. Just gotta love bein' stuck in this camp." They both turned to see Glenn stepping out of the Winnebago. Harli saw the frustration on his face as he glanced at her with failure. He only shook his head and stared away from her and Harli sighed, feeling bad that he didn't get the advice that he really needed.

"Walker!" Harli looked up once Andrea shouted and saw her stand up in high alert. T-Dog threw down the pan and he, Harli, and Glenn stared out in the direction that Andrea was shouting towards.

"Just the one!?" Harli heard Rick's voice as he ran up. Andrea quickly grabbed the binoculars,

"I bet I can nail it from here!" She grabbed the rifle and Harli looked up at her,

"No, No Andrea put the gun down!" Rick pleaded up at her. Harli stared at the very faint figure coming from the tree line and she clenched her fist, her other hand slowly traceing the head of the hatchet safely secured by her belt. She swallowed a hard lump, took a deep breath, and quickly moved her legs, taking off in a dead sprint towards the corpse coming their way,

"Harli! Get back here!" Rick shouted but she ignored him and kept running. Harli's arms pumped faster and her legs quickened with each step that slammed against the ground. She grew closer to the figure as she moved across the road and into the tall grass of the fields in front of her. Its arm swept back and forth as it stumbled along towards camp, something clutched tightly in its fingers. She noticed blood all over the shirt and chest of the individual, but she had a bad feeling about this situation, which made her legs slow down as she grew near.

"Harli!" She heard the men call behind her, but she didn't turn towards them. Her eyes were fixated on the figure before her as it stumbled closer and closer to her. Her mind began to put the pieces together as she saw the strap in its hands and a familiar crossbow dragging on the ground behind it. That familiar flannel tucked around its torso and scruffy, dark brown hair that was muddled with dirt and blood. She couldn't breathe and her eyes widened,

"Daryl…?" He stopped and his breathing was fatigued and erratic. His head slowly moved up and his jaw clenched as he stared at her, his blue eyes darkening . A gasp escaped her lips as she ran up to him, only a few inches from his damaged body, and put her hands on each side of his face, "What the hell happened to you!?" Before he could attempt to speak, she heard the hasty footsteps of Rick, Shane, T-Dog, and Glenn grow closer,

"Harli get away from it!" Shane demanded with a loud shout. She turned to see Rick raising his pistol straight at Daryl's head and the others ready to attack, Harli ran forward,

"Rick no!"

"Is that… Daryl!?" Glenn asked astonished once he finally recognized the crossbow wielder. Daryl struggled to stay still as he gritted his teeth and stared at Rick,

"That's the third time you pointed that thing at my head! You gonna pull the trigger or what!?" He exasperated towards the group, panting from the sudden exertion of his words. Harli and the others let out a sigh of relief and Rick lowered his gun, shaking his head with a sharp breath. Harli looked back at him, her eyes softening when she knew he was going to be alright.

A gunshot then ripped through the air and Harli heard the zip of the bullet fly by them, striking the target behind her. Harli turned to see Daryl's body falling to the ground and her worst fears came to life, "Daryl!?" Harli ran forward and fell to her knees by his unconscious body, Rick's shouts ripping through the air than the actual blast of the gun. Harli put her hand to her mouth and couldn't distinguish if the blood on his face was fresh or old from whatever had happened to him. The warmth of her eyes began to water as she heard Rick, Shane, T-Dog, and Glenn run up behind her,

"Harli, step back now, give him some room." Shane asked while kneeling next to her and softly pulling at her shoulder. T-Dog grabbed her arms and carefully picked her up to her feet, comforting her as Rick and Shane pulled Daryl's arms over their shoulders. Glenn walked up to Harli, Daryl's crossbow in his hands,

"Harli, it's alright the bullet only grazed him…" T-Dog and Glenn walked with her as Rick and Shane began to drag Daryl back to their camp in the distance. Her hysterics calmed themselves at Glenn's words, making her somewhat relieved. But the rest of him, she was unsure about if he was alright.

"Oh my god, Oh my god is he dead!?" Harli looked up from around her bangs to see Andrea and Dale running up to them. Rick nodded as the two continued to pull him along,

"Unconscious… you just grazed him."

"Yeah but look at him, what the hell happened!?" Glenn pointed at the necklace of four ears draped around Daryl's neck, "He's wearing ears!" Rick then swiftly yanked them off his neck and shoved them into the crane of his shirt,

"Let's keep that to ourselves!" He voiced lowly and Harli and T-Dog noticed something drop from Daryl's dragging body. Harli and T-Dog stopped, Harli watching T-Dog leaning down and picking up a small rag doll, his eyes widening as he looked at Harli in recognition,

"Guys? Isn't this Sophia's!?" T-Dog asked as he lifted up the doll. The group turned to see it with the same amount of astonishment that Harli and T-Dog had experienced once their eyes fell on the object.

"Let's get him to the house quickly!" Rick said and the he and Shane continued to drag Daryl's body. Harli jogged after them, giving Andrea a hateful glare as she walked by, still not believing that she had shot Daryl.


	13. Chapter 13

Harli sat outside the door where Daryl was taken. She sat on the floor, alongside Lori, with her knees drawn to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. Lori had her arm around Harli's shoulders for comfort and rubbed her shoulder while they waited. Harli rubbed her face and wiped her eyes of their tears with the back of her hand. She didn't know exactly why she had become so hysterical once he was put down, but it felt like the right thing to do at the time. She still didn't know exactly what happened to him to put him in the state he was when she found him, but she was bound to find out once she was allowed in the room.

The two women had been sitting outside the door for a good hour or so. But to keep her mind off of the matter once it happened, Lori had Harli help with preparations of dinner. Harli helped Maggie set up the tables for the dinner tonight, the two women becoming acquainted and Harli thought that she was really nice and wondered, herself, why she was pushing a nice man like Glenn away. Harli and Lori heard that Daryl was awake and decided to sit outside the door, waiting for any of them to come out of the room to inform them about the matter. Rick and Shane were inside talking with Hershel as he mended Daryl's wounds and Harli swore she could hear his voice as well.

The door then opened and Lori stood up quickly to greet Rick and Harli stayed on the ground. Rick had the map in his hand; he hugged Lori and gave Harli a reassuring nod, "He's gonna be alright." Shane walked out and left the door cracked behind him. He leaned up against the wall and stared down at Harli,

"You can go in now." Harli stood up and wiped her hands down her pant legs, opening the door and stepping in. Harli had been getting bad vibes from Shane lately, ever since they arrived up at the farm. It was like his entire character was changing, but not talking to him much, Harli couldn't tell what was going on with him. Maybe it was the search for Sophia and he was losing all hope?

Harli walked towards the bed, watching as Hershel wiped his hand with a towel, his sleeves rolled up his arms. He turned to her as he heard her footsteps behind him, "I'm glad you're here, I've been needing to take those bandages off your neck." Harli nodded and only stared at Daryl as well as the bandages around his abdomen and his head from the gunshot wound. He noticed her appearance and quickly grabbed the sheets of the bed and pulled them up over his body to avoid her seeing his torso, riddle with scars and untold stories. Harli was past curious by this point; there were so many prominent scars that she wanted to know where each and every one of them had come from.

Hershel walked over to Harli and she leaned over towards him, "Can you give me a moment?"

"Sure… I'll come back later." He nodded and finally stepped out of the room. Harli walked over to the chair by the bedside and sat down, crossing her arms and leaning back in the chair,

"So… how'd you do it?"

"Do what?" His raspy voice asked while he shifted around in the bed to a more comfortable position,

"How the hell did you end up in this bed? With that nasty gash in your stomach?"

"Went out on the search over the cliffs like I said. The stupid jackass I went out on tossed me and I ended up fallin' down the cliff side with one of my bolts gettin' lodged in my stomach. That's all there is to it." Harli's eyes trailed down to the floor and she chewed the inside of her lip. Daryl narrowed his eyes at her,

"What? Now you gonna get all glum 'cause I'm in this position? Damn you can be pathetic sometimes…" He grumbled and yanked the sheets up over his shoulders, lying his head down on the pillow. Harli stood up and Daryl watched as she moved towards the door. She stopped and looked at him over her shoulder,

"Sorry to bother you, I'll let you get some rest." Harli opened the door and shut it behind her as she stalked off towards the front door. She peeled it open and saw Dale and Andrea sitting on the porch steps in front of her. She stopped briefly as the two turned to see her, but she clenched her fists, seeing the look that Andrea was giving her. Harli took a deep breath, biting back her tongue and keeping her hands close to her sides as she quickly moved between them, walking across the grass back to camp.

Harli didn't stop at camp, and only walked past everyone as she ripped the bandages and gauze off her neck. Glenn and T-Dog looked at each other, and then to Harli as she walked past them, her eyes locked on the lining of the forest, "Hey Harli, where are you going?" Glenn asked but Harli only ignored them and continued to hastily walked towards the forest. Glenn stood up and jogged after her, catching up easily, "Hey! Rick said you can't leave camp!" Glenn grabbed her arm and she instantly yanked it from his grasp, turning towards him,

"Just leave me alone Glenn! I don't care what Rick said, I need to get out of this camp for a while!" Harli turned and quickened her walking pace out into the field. Glenn stepped a few paces back, his eyes staring at her a bit surprised at her tone of voice as he had never heard her speak that way before. She soon met the cool air of the forest and slowed down to a stop, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. She looked over her shoulder, seeing the camp farther away than she had expected and the tiny figures of her people walking back and forth. She sighed and turned back around towards the core of the forest.

As soon as she knew it, she realized that she had no weapons on her, and she had left her hatchet back at camp.

Not wanting to turn back, she continued walking down a deer trail, grabbing a long piece of grass and playing with it as her feet strode through the damp moss and dirt under her feet. She annoyingly chewed on the inside of her lip, a million thoughts swimming through her mind at once. Her fingers stroked the long, soft piece of grass in her hand and her eyes narrowed as she stopped.

'_Damn you can be pathetic sometimes…' _She huffed with a toss of the grass to the ground, stepping on it and grinding it into the ground. As she looked up, Harli saw a large log covered in moss and walked over to it, a small stream flowing under it towards the larger creek beds. She sat down on it and crossed her legs, resting her head on her hand as she stared down at the water.

Daryl continued to flood her mind. She knew that his personality and harsh words he spoke to everyone were only defense mechanisms. But she didn't like being called pathetic, that's all she heard from her father, and she didn't want to hear it from Daryl especially. She never really liked impressing people, but Daryl was so much different from other guys in her life, especially Watson. He was a hard ass on the outside and extremely tough, but she knew there was a good man in there, an incredibly good, but broken, man.

She was just so irritated by him and his confusing ways.

**o.o**

The darkness hit faster than expected and Harli was still in the forest. She knew that the others would be at dinner by now and would possibly be worried about her disappearance for hours on end. She was surprised they didn't send out a makeshift SWAT team to try and find her. But she was glad they didn't, she had to let off her steam alone or she could have most likely hurt someone. Especially Andrea. Her trying to be gung-ho about guns and trying to show off to the group caused Harli most of her anger it was incredibly hard for her not to say anything. But being the reserved woman she was and the things her teachers taught her in the past, she couldn't explode.

But this world wasn't anything like what she was used to.

She stepped cautiously through the forest floor as she saw the lights of the farmhouse barely breaking through the bushes and branches around her. She was afraid of the dark and tried quickly to return to the farmhouse. Her heart leapt when she heard a growl, but let out a sigh of relief realizing that it was only her stomach advising her to quickly head back before it began to tear apart her insides like a ravenous Walker. She finally broke the tree line and into the golden fields of Hershel's farmland, staring at the beautiful house in the distance. She ran her fingers down her braid and climbed away to reach the lavish dinner that she had helped prepare. Her mind was now clear of aggression and dimmed herself fit for proper social interaction. She made way to the porch and the sounds of her boots clanked against the hard wood of the steps as she moved forward to open the door.

The sound of clanking silverware and tones of her group wafted through her ears as she made her way towards the dining room. Her boots thumped across the floor as she turned the corner, making every one stop what they were doing and stare at her as she entered the room. Her mouth bent into a small smile and she put her hand up to greet everyone. Lori rose from her chair and walked over to her, "Where in God's name have you been?"

"Just went for a walk."

"Yeah, Glenn told us, but for three whole hours? Are you hurt at all?" Harli nodded and rubbed her arms,

"Yeah, I'm fine, sorry if I worried any of you."

"There's left over food in the kitchen, so go make yourself a plate." Lori sat back down to her food and Harli walked into the kitchen, seeing the different meats and vegetables that waited for her to place them in her stomach. As she entered the kitchen, she saw Carol stepping out of Daryl's room, shutting the door quietly behind her. Her eyes trailed down to her empty plate and she sighed, not putting any food down on the plate even if her stomach protested against her decision.

She quietly moved across the floor towards Daryl's room where she placed her hand on the door knob, but hesitated to open it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, twisting the knob and opening the door. It creaked open and she opened her green eyes, stepping forward into the warm room but only leaning a few inches in, hanging off the door frame. She watched as Daryl turned his head, not even attempting to touch his food yet, his deep blue eyes staring through her, "I just came to say… if you're too stubborn to sleep in here tonight, you're welcome to take my tent so you don't have to walk all the way out to your campsite. I can sleep in the Winnebago, I don't mind." She wasn't going to be harsh towards him and she wasn't going to be angry with what he had said, all she was going to do was be humble and kind, it was her nature.

Daryl narrowed his eyes and the two stared at each other for a moment. His eyes held slight confusion at her words. He briefly looked out the window, then back at her, "Nah, I'll probably just stay here for the night, I don't feel like movin' round much. But thanks anyways." Harli sighed and looked down at the flooring with a soft nod,

"Alright," She closed the door, the situation too awkward for Harli. She didn't know what to say to him and just wanted to make sure he was comfortable.

She walked back into the dark kitchen and placed her hands on the counter, staring down at the food in front of her. She sighed and grabbed a few spoonful's of vegetables and a small chicken breast, throwing them down on the plate in her hand. She grabbed some silverware and her plate, turning on her heel. She passed everyone at their tables and shoved open the door, quickening down the steps and back to the campsite.

She put her food down on a chair and turned her attention to the fire pit, grabbing pieces of wood she had split hours before and tossing them in. She found a lighter in one of the chairs cup holders and knelt down next to the pit, striking the flame on the lighter and cupping her hand around the flame to help induce a light. Once the fire began to grow around the teepee of wood, Harli sat down in a chair and grabbed her food, placing it on her lap and staring down at it. She plucked a few vegetables in the teeth of the fork and brought them to her mouth. As she ate, her mind flickered back and forth from her food to the bow that she had found. She had forgotten the sturdy sticks she had found yesterday before the well Walker incident. They were straight and she could easily make arrows out of them. The only problem was she didn't have any fletching so the arrows would fly straight.

She was going to make Daryl teach her how to shoot tomorrow and his arguments would be invalid.

**o.o**

Harli walked back to camp the next morning, her shotgun propped on her shoulder and a bag in her other hand. She had woken early in the morning to set out to find feathers for the fletching of the arrows she had whittled the night before. She had found many large birds that she had taken down for both food and feathers. She knew that eventually Daryl would run out of bolts for his crossbow, and he wouldn't be too far behind Harli for arrows. She broke through the forest and carefully strode towards the campsite. She noticed that everyone were already up and running and noticed a smaller figure striding around camp. She smiled to herself when she noticed Carl carefully walking about, not inducing too much strain in himself as it was his first day out and about with everyone. Every time she went in his room to talk to or check up on him, he was passed out with Lori or Rick watching over him.

She lowered her shotgun from her shoulder and walked to her tent, unloading it and placing it carefully on her bed. She pulled herself out of the tent and moved hair from her face, sitting down in a chair and pulling the birds out of the bag. "Hey Harli," Harli turned her head over her shoulder and saw Carl approaching, his father's Sheriff's hat placed carefully on his head. Harli smiled and looked back to the bag of birds she had brought back,

"Hey Carl, how are you feeling?" She grabbed the bottom of the bag and dumped the three large birds on the ground. Carl stood next to her and stared down at the birds, softly kicking the toe of his boot at them,

"I feel fine. My stomach's a little sore though, but I told my mom and dad I wanted to walk around today. I don't want to be stuck in that room all the time."

"It's probably the best for you to get some fresh air and some sun anyways." The two smiled at each other and Harli grabbed one of the birds, plucking some of its long tail feathers from its body. Carl stared at them curiously and sat on the arm rest of Harli's chair,

"What're you doing with those birds anyways?"

"I'm taking some of their feathers so I can use them to make arrows. They're wood grouse, and they're really good to eat."

"Sounds pretty cool. Are you going out to search for Sophia at all today?" Harli stopped plucking tail feathers and looked over at Carl,

"I'm going to try. But I'm wounded, too, still." She moved her hair from her neck to show Carl the shallow laceration on her neck. It was still bruised and sore, but the pain killers and antibiotics that Hershel had given her helped her in the long run.

"I wish I could go out… my mom won't let me."

"It's okay Carl; we're going to find her. I wish I could take you out with me, but you know how your parents would react." Carl nodded disappointingly and stood up, walking away towards the Winnebago. Harli chewed on the inside of her cheek, feeling bad for Carl. She felt the same way he was at this moment, feeling weak and helpless to everyone. But she knew it was the best for him to stay and rest. She then stood up and walked over towards Rick and Shane, standing next to the Cherokee as they were lying out plans for today's Sophia search. Shane looked over at her accusingly,

"Was that you I heard poppin' shots off this mornin'?"

"Yeah, I was bird hunting. Sorry if I made you suspicious of anything." Shane narrowed his eyes at her and Rick took notice to the darkness of his eyes. He looked over at Harli,

"Not at all, just stay close around here or take someone with you next time, we've got to be more careful about how we do things around here." Harli nodded and Rick unrolled the map on the Cherokee hood. He then looked over at Harli, "Are you goin' out with us for target practice today? Or are you gonna take an early search out for Sophia? You seem suitable to go out today." Harli shook her head at him,

"No target practice. I already know how to shoot and you should be more inclined to pay attention to those others that need the help. I'll probably go off searching a little later on today, whether it be before or after you guys come back."

"Alright, just remember. We're all better off with partners, so be careful out there if you go off before we get back,"

"Of course. Is Daryl still in the house? I need to talk to him," Harli looked around over her shoulder towards the house, then back at Rick who shook his head and pointed,

"No he was set up in a tent here in the campsite. Didn't want to stay in that house all day."

"Thanks, good luck to you today." Harli gave one last glance at the men before turning around and walking towards the tent that Daryl was lying in. The door was rolled open and he lied on a cot inside, flipping through a small, black book while staring at it disappointingly. Harli bent down and walked in, "So how's the cripple?" She smiled and sat down, staring over at him. He narrowed his eyes and stared over at her,

"You're lucky you're a girl or you'd be earnin' yourself a few swift knuckles to the noggin' with that smart mouth of yours." Harli only laughed to herself and brought her knees to her chest, her bright green eyes staring at him with cleverness,

"You're threats are so scary," He scoffed and looked back at the book, continuing to flip through the pages, "So are you gonna read it or just keeping skimming through the pages there?" He shook his head and tossed the book to the side, staring over at Harli,

"Book ain't got no pictures and looks boring as hell. I was never much of a reader."

"You feel better at all today?"

"Yeah, I'm all loaded up on pain killers though. So I can't really feel nothin'." He admitted and she nodded with a smile, playing with a feather in her fingers,

"So since you're kind of put out of commission for a little while, will you come out and teach me how to shoot that bow?" He stared at her for a moment, twirling the bolt for his crossbow in his hands, staring at her pleading, innocent face awaiting an answer from him. He huffed and shook his head,

"No, you don't even have arrows for it."

"But I made some last night! I even went out and killed some birds this morning for the fletching… but I don't know how to put them on…" She pouted. She saw the hesitation in his face and she crawled onto her knees towards him, "Please Daryl? If you do… while you're still wounded and can't go out, you ask for anything I'll do it!" Harli could always make her eyes lightly water, and now was the time to do it. Daryl stared at her with his deep, blue eyes and Harli stared at him with the utmost of innocence. Most of him wanted to tell her that he would in a heartbeat, but there was that one little sliver that told him not to do it. He wanted to play hard to get. He leaned forward and raised his eyebrows,

"The answers still no." Harli pouted and her eyebrows knitted in irritation and disappointment. She huffed and stood up, grabbing her feathers and stepping out of the tent. Daryl pouted as well and continued to twirl the bolt in his fingers, half contradicting the decision he made. He looked out the door to see Harli staring back in, trying another tactic,

"Well… I'm just gonna grab my hatchet and go out to look for Sophia. Everyone else went out to shooting practice, so I guess I'll see you later." Harli turned and walked to the table, grabbing her hatchet off of it and placing it in her belt. Daryl lifted himself with a grunt and stared as Harli turned to begin to walk past the window of his tent. Unknowingly of Harli's expertly pulled tactic, he leaned up just as she walked past,

"Hey! You're not goin' anywhere by yourself!" He barked at her, making her stop and stare at him with hidden achievement. She walked up to the window and bent down with a small smirk,

"So does that mean you changed your mind?" He answered her question when she watched as he quickly buttoned up his shirt. She stood up straight and strode over towards him as he stepped out of the tent and buttoned up his shirt. He threw his hands down to his side and stared at her accusingly with narrowed eyes,

"You're a sly little fox…"

**o.o**

The two walked through the woods out to find a clear path that would be easy for target practice. As they walked, Daryl explained to Harli how to attach the feathers as fletching. Harli learned easily and quickly, sucking the information up like a sponge. Harli made sure that they walked at a slower pace; she didn't want Daryl to strain his wound more than he already did. Even with the pain killers, she could see some pain written across his face as he walked. But he almost completely hid it as he talked with Harli.

They finally came to a small clearing and stopped in their tracks. Daryl scanned their surroundings and quickly found an easy target for Harli to shoot at. He walked forward towards a dead tree, observing it and seeing if it would be soft enough not to break the arrows. He walked to the side and rubbed his hand on the tree's trunk and then drew his fist back, slamming it hard against the dead bark. Pieces of bark fell to the ground and Daryl walked back towards Harli, "Alright, that tree's good enough. That piece of moss on the tree is what you should be aiming for. I'll take the first shot." She pulled the bow off her shoulder and put her backpack down on the ground. She pulled out an arrow out of her bag and handed them both to him. He docked the arrow and stood sideways in the stance that usual archers would take while yanking the bowstring back with his brute strength. He released it faster than he drew the string back and with consistent accuracy, the arrow struck the small patch of moss with ease.

Harli smiled in awe at how easily and quickly he had shot the arrow. He truly was a great archer. "Wow, that was pretty damn amazing. I don't think I could-" When she turned to face him she saw him gripping at his side and the muscles in his jaw clenched so tightly she thought that he was going to break all his teeth. Her eyebrows knitted together and she put a hand on his shoulder, "H-hey are you alright?" Her hand was warm to the touch and Daryl turned his head towards her, straightening himself and nodding with a deep breath,

"Yeah… I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all." He looked at her calmly, his hand still gripping his abdomen. Harli saw his eyes lighten as they reassured her,

"I'm fine, just shoot. The drawback is really heavy, you'll be lucky to pull it back all the way."

Her fingers stuck to his arm as he gently handed her the bow. She took a deep breath and grabbed both it and an arrow. She looked at him as she docked the arrow and readied to pull it back and he nodded and crossed his arms, waiting for her to do it when she was ready.

"There's three sights above the arrow. The orange is for long range, green for medium, and yellow for short. You're at medium range, so take the green."

She bounced the bowstring, testing the strength of it, and it was indeed heavy. Taking a deep breath, she flung the bow up as her muscles struggled to yank back the string. But alas, she did it. Daryl raised his eyebrows, surprised that she had so easily taken the string back with a half strained effort. He noticed some defects in her stance, staring at the cat-like curve of her back as she faced away from him. Her tan, glazed over skin taunted him in some way. It looked so smooth to the touch and he wanted to rub his hand over it to see what if felt like. He moved his hand out towards her, hesitant to touch her back,

'_Come on, stop being a pussy…' _He pressed his fingers in between her shoulders, pressing gently,"Curve your back a little,"He moved around her and titled her elbow up,"Keep your elbow and shoulders straight or the arrow won't be as accurate."Harli looked through the green sight, feeling her muscles begin to fatigue and her arm began to shake. She took a deep breath and held it, releasing the arrow to its target. The arrow struck inches away from Where Daryl's arrow stood, making Harli sigh in disappointment. Daryl walked around her to the other side that she faced,

"Not bad for a first shot. You'll get it eventually,"Daryl walked up to the tree and ripped the two arrows out with ease, walking back over to Harli. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he approached, handing her one of the arrows. She smiled and took it,

"Thanks."

An hour or so had passed them both and Harli was continuously having a hard time hitting the target. Every shot she grew closer and closer to the mossy bulls-eye, but her arms were getting incredibly tired and the last few arrows she shot missed the tree, one even grazed it and snapped in half. She had to hit the bulls-eye at least once and she knew her shooting was clearly proficient if she were to ever use it against Walker's. But practice makes perfect.

Daryl noticed her arm shaking more and more as she attempted to pull the bowstring and a light sweat forming on her skin. He was amazed at the stamina her muscles had at pulling a fifty pound bowstring back nonstop for the past hour. Her persistence was enjoyable to watch and he was surprised that she was learning so quickly. He knew she was smart for being some kind of brain doctor, but not this smart. It took him more than a month to get good enough to hunt with a bow. Harli yanked back the bowstring once more and her arm began to shake uncontrollably,

"Come on, you're too tired." Daryl helped her slowly let the bowstring back so she would break the arms of the bow. He took the bow and Harli rubbed her arm, her hand shaking from the strained muscles,

"I can't believe I didn't hit that god damn bulls-eye…" She wiped her hand across her forehead, ridding of the sweat and staring hatefully at the dead tree. Daryl looked at the arrows sticking from the tree and then over at her,

"Ain't no problem. You're the first person I seen, a girl for that matter, that does that good and takes so many shots with such a heavy draw on their first time." He stepped through the damp grass and moss of the forest floor, making his way towards the tree. Harli followed and they both ripped the arrows from tree's trunk, clasping them all in their hands. Harli grabbed her backpack from the ground and put the arrows in them. Daryl handed her the rest of the arrows and she placed them in with their brothers, zipping them up tightly so they wouldn't fall out.

The two walked down the creek side, on their way back to camp. Daryl's eyes continued to flicker back and forth from the path they walked and then over to Harli, to Daryl's discomfort. He shifted his crossbow's strap uncomfortably as he looked over at her, "Hey, I've been meanin' to ask you somethin'." Harli's gaze broke from the dense walls of forestry and she looked over at him, curious to what he could be asking,

"Yeah? What is it?"

"You're a brain doctor, right? Where the hell did you work to do somethin' like that? A little box office?"

"No, actually, I got to travel outside an office to my fortune." She looked over at him and saw the slight anxiousness and eagerness to know what exactly she was talking about. She smiled and looked down at the ground,

"I got to go visit the inmates because they couldn't get transferred to wherever I was. And after all the inmate attacks I've experienced during the beginning of my career-"

"Inmate attacks? What you mean by inmate attacks? You get locked up or something?" Harli looked over at him and shook her head,

"No. I was a psychologist for the Western Central Prison and I dealt with a lot of psychopaths, rapists, murderers who had a lot wrong with them. Not seeing a woman for quite a long time in a prison really has its downs. I guess it was a hard job for me, if it was a male doctor, then they probably wouldn't have a problem with it."

"Why take a job if you risk your life everyday talking with a bunch of weirdos?" Harli only shrugged her shoulders and shook her head like it was nothing,

"I don't know… I just always wanted to know what made a criminal's mind tick. But it did come with that imminent danger… it was scary sometimes."

"You need to learn how to take care of yourself, like kickin' ass and takin' names." Daryl huffed and Harli couldn't help but laugh to herself,

"We can't all live the luxury of being you Daryl."

"You call it a luxury, I call it a lifestyle. Life ain't all puppy dogs and candy, and if you think it is you're probably the biggest dumbass I know."

"Oh trust me; I'm one of the rare people that think the old world was about as big of a shithole as this world is now." Daryl looked over at her with a bit of admiration. He had never connected with someone before, especially a woman such as her. They both understood each other and had their own war stories to tell,

"You ever even been in a fight before?" Daryl was oddly curious, causing Harli to smile and look over at him, shrugging a shoulder,

"Not really much of a fighter… but once in high school."

"High school? All that drama shit, what was it about? Makeup or somethin'?" Harli shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair, a soft, warm breeze blowing through the trees to Harli's luck. The breeze blew the bangs from her face,

"No, she, and a bunch of her friends, made fun of me a lot, embarrassed me and all kinds of stuff. So one day I couldn't take it anymore and I called her a bitch. She slapped me across the face and I didn't like to be hit… so then we got into it. I kinda…. Slammed her face up against the wall a few times…" Harli rubbed the side of her neck in slight embarrassment. She heard Daryl snort and she looked over at him, seeing him actually smile for the first time,

"You? You beat the shit out of some poor girl? Sorry, but I don't see that happenin'. Especially you slammin' her face against a wall."

"How is that so hard to believe?"

"Just is to me, you're a small girl. How hard can you hit anyways?" Harli clenched a fist and turned, punching him in the shoulder. He narrowed his eyes at her and slightly shook his head, "What the hell was that?" She was still tired from shooting the bow earlier, but she didn't want Daryl to make fun of her for the weak punch, even if he was joking around with her. Harli repeated her hit, only this time, putting more pack into her punch as she drew back and her fist struck his skin. He tilted slightly at it, "Damn squito's are everywhere."

Just as Daryl was going to step back into pace, his foot caught the edge of the embankment of the creek bed. Harli went to grab his arm, but to her dismay, Daryl was out of reach and his body crashed into the creek with a large splash. He surfaced quickly and stared up as Harli couldn't help but laugh at him and the face he was making. He gritted his teeth and wiped his face with his hand, irritation beginning to overwhelm him as Harli's chuckles rang through his ears, "Shut up the hell up it ain't funny!" He threw his hand up towards her as he was waist deep in the water. Harli only smiled and walked towards the embankment,

"Oh stop it, you're like a child throwing a tantrum!" Daryl threw his hand in the water and waved it up, splashing water at Harli. She flinched when the droplets of water hit her skin and wiped her face with her hand, glaring down at him as he smiled deviously,

"The cat don't like water now?" She rolled her eyes and scoffed, throwing her backpack and bow to the ground and elevating her hand to Daryl,

"Ha ha very funny. Now come on let's keep on our way." Daryl thrashed through the water towards the embankment and latched onto a large root in the dirt. He grabbed onto her hand and Harli went to pull up, but she felt a strong force yank on her and she closed her eyes as she saw the water coming closer to her body. She landed with a large splash herself and immediately broke through the surface, gaping at the air and rubbing the water out of her eyes. She growled and her bright green eyes stared at his darkly amused blue irises,

"I can't believe you did that, you ass!" She splashed at him and he put his arm up to shield his face as the water doused over him. He narrowed his eyes and looked over at her and the two continued to glare with scarce hate. He growled and threw his hand through the water, splashing at her again. She did the same, splashing water all over Daryl's face. He didn't bother to wipe the water that dripped down his cheeks and off is chin as he stared at Harli, who couldn't help but laugh at his demeanor. She smiled when she knew she was bringing out a more kind, playful side of him, and he seemed to enjoy it as well.

"What? You think it's funny?" Using the brute force his muscles built on, he thrashed his arms about, sending walls of water towards Harli. She yelped and put her hands up, backing up as she shielded her face from the water. She wanted to splash back, but he was too consistent as he continued to move towards her. She stopped when she backed up against the other side of the bank. The splashing subsided and Harli opened her eyes, putting her hands down and looking in front of her to see Daryl stopping and standing over her.

Harli couldn't tell what kind of look he had in his eye, but his face held confusion, impatience, and lust. She went to speak to him, but was caught off guard when he grabbed her shoulders and pressed his warm lips against hers. Her muscles tensed, but after the first few moments, she relaxed and placed her hands on each side of his face, pulling him in as she wanted more. He wrapped one arm around her waist and placed the other of the soft dirt bank behind her, pressing his body up against hers. They released for a brief moment and then Harli returned her lips to his.

Harli didn't know about her feelings before, but this moment cleared her mind completely. She now had something to live for in this world. She knew she had mixed feeling about him but now was an entirely different situation and knew now that those feelings became a whole. She was a broken woman and he was a damaged man and Harli was determined to fix him the best she could.

Daryl's eyes flicked open when he heard footsteps above them on the bank and raised his head quickly.

A Walker snarled down at them, stepping towards the edge with its arms outstretched. Daryl quickly grabbed Harli around the waist, stumbling back through the water just as the Walker fell in after them. Daryl put her back down behind him and Harli turned to see the Walker rising out of the water, staring at them as it let out a low growl at while trying to gain its footing in the waist-deep creek bed. Daryl ripped his large bowie knife from its sheath as the Walker drew close. Harli then spotted movement out of the corner of her eye. As she looked her shoulder, she saw two more Walkers racing towards them and crashing into the water before making their ways towards the two. Harli wheeled around to deal with the other two, watching their steady progress of movement quickening towards them.

Daryl lunged forward and plunged the knife through his targets eye, ripping his blade out of its eye and shoving it to the ground. Daryl grunted and latched onto his wound, letting out a strained breath and failing to hear the commotion behind him. A Walker fell from the embankment above the two survivors and tackled Daryl into the water. Harli heard the large splash and turned around, seeing Daryl thrashing about in the water, "Daryl!" Harli turned to attempt to help Daryl in his condition, her legs having a hard time moving fast through the hesitant water. She wasn't concerned for his safety because she knew he could handle his own, but she was concerned more of the fact that he was painfully wounded in the abdomen.

A Walker grabbed onto Harli's arm and she stumbled back against the bank, managing to get out of its grasp with a sharp yank. She thought quickly, wishing she hadn't had put her bow down, but remembered her knife in the sheath dangling from her belt. She quickly pulled it out as the Walker went in for the kill, her hand reacting fast as it shoved the knife in through the Walkers forehead. The Walker's body went limp and slowly floated in the water once it fell, Harli quickly moving after the Walker that was going for Daryl. He still wrestled around with the other corpse that latched onto him, Harli knowing that the scent of blood was wafting through the air. Harli quickly ran up behind the Walker before it had a chance to turn towards her, shoving her knife up into the back of its head.

The wrestling in the water subsided and Harli looked over to see Daryl struggling to stand up through the water. He panted and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, gripping on his stomach and grimacing from pain. "God dammit!" He leaned up against the bank and draped his head, trying to catch his breath as his eyes clenched shut. Harli quickly walked up to him the best she could and his blue eyes popped open to look over at her, "You hurt at all?" His raspy voice asked as she approached. She shook her head,

"No... but what about you?" He looked down and shook his own head, his panting beginning to subside,

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Harli grabbed the bottom of his wet shirt and began to lift it, but he grabbed her wrist and she looked up at him,

"Don't." He didn't want her to see the scars all over his body. But her eyes flickered with determination,

"I just want to look and see if you broke the stitching or not." She reassured and e swallowed a hard lump, slowly releasing her wrist. She gave one last look at him before bending down as she pulled up his shirt. She stared at the wet gauze that was barely hanging on to his skin as the medical tape's adhesive began to wear off. She saw blood beginning to form on the outer layer of the gauze, confirming her suspicions, "You broke the stitching, we should probably get you back to camp as soon as possible to have Hershel look at it."

"Just my luck…" He grumbled under his breath. Harli turned and stared at the bank that they had to climb up to get back to land,

"Do you think you'll be able to get out of this creek? The bank's pretty steep and the strain might hurt you even more." She stared over at Daryl as he looked up at the edge about two feet above them, then back down at Harli,

"Yeah, I think I can manage. I'll give you a boost up and then give me a hand when you get up there," Harli nodded and put her hands on his shoulder. Daryl knelt down in the water, putting his hands under her boot as she lifted it. He easily lifted her and she jumped out of his hand, latching onto the ground and pulling herself up to safety. She knelt down over the edge and grabbed onto Daryl's hand and wrist as tightly as she could. He grabbed onto a root and Harli locked her arms, pulling his large figure up with everything she had.

He gripped onto the ground above him and pulled up, Harli wrapping an arm under his and hoisting whatever was left of him above ground. He lied in the grass and panted once more as surges of pain wriggled through his body. With whatever strength he had left, he pulled himself to his feet and stumbled around, not being able to catch his footing. Harli grabbed her backpack, bow, and Daryl's crossbow up from the ground, handing it to him. He stared over at her as she walked up to him, "You said if I taught you how to shoot today you'd do anything for me I asked?" Harli remembered her pleading words before they left camp, wondering what he was thinking about,

"Yeah? What'd you need?"

"Stitch me up so I don't have to lie there and listen to Hershel tell me how dumb I was for breakin' open my stiches." He huffed and Harli smiled with a nod,

"Yeah, I'll do it as soon as we get back."


	14. Chapter 14

Harli and Daryl strode back to camp through the amber grass fields just outside the innards of the farm. Harli expected things to be awkward after what had happened in the forest, but surprisingly they weren't. But during the small talk they were conversing on their way back, Harli could tell that Daryl was treating the kiss as if it never happened and every time Harli thought about it, she got tongue tied and her face heated up. Damn those Walkers for showing up.

The two arrived back into camp, and Harli noticed that everyone had returned from gun training and some were crowded around the Cherokee to figure out where to take the Sophia search for the day. "Hey guys, where've you been?" Glenn walked up, staring at Harli accusingly as both of them were still soaked from wading around in the creek beds, "And why are you wet…?" His eyes narrowed and one of his eyebrows rose as he stared at the two disheveled survivors. Daryl's eyes narrowed as well and brushed past him,

"Ain't none of your damn business Chinaman." He growled, stalking off towards the tent he was housed in before the two had left that morning. Glenn watched Daryl step into the tent, then looked back at Harli with curiosity, crossing his arms,

"Are you gonna tell me?" Harli's hair was still wet and it waved down onto her shoulders as she stared childishly at Glenn. She couldn't help but smile to herself and kick at the ground with her boot. Glenn's eyes widened slightly and he leaned forward, "You guys didn't…?" His voice faded off at his question and Harli stared at him confusingly for a moment before she knew what he was actually talking about registered in her mind. Her eyebrows knitted together and she shoved Glenn's shoulder,

"No we didn't you pervert!" She frowned and Glenn stumbled back, staring at her with surprise,

"But you guys are all wet I wouldn't know if you two washed off in the creek or even-"

"Alalalalaaaa! I'm not listening to you!" Harli slapped her hands over her ears to muffle out Glenn's words as she rushed passed him quickly towards her tent. Glenn whirled around, his eyes following after her,

"Well if you would tell me I wouldn't have to think for the worst!" He called out after her, watching her stalk away. Harli reached her tent and looked over her shoulder to see Glenn walking away towards the Cherokee to join everyone else. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling softly as she leaned into her small tent, thinking about Glenn's childishness. She reached out and grabbed her backpack, yanking it out as she stood up. Harli then walked over to the large tent that Daryl inhabited and saw him sitting on the cot inside, his face burning with pain. He had done a wonderful job hiding it as he and Harli were together that entire afternoon, but a cold sweat had appeared above his brow, muddled by his damp hair. She watched as he swallowed a hard lump and every surge of pain that went through his body, his arms would clench and Harli could see the definition of his tone arms.

Harli's brain managed to tell her feet to move and she walked into the tent slowly. His head popped up and he straightened his body when he noticed her sudden appearance. Harli knelt down and zipped open her backpack, pulling out the first aid kit that she kept just in case of emergencies. She opened it and looked up at Daryl briefly,

"Does it hurt at all?" She looked back down, grabbing a small bottle of rubbing alcohol, a needle and thread, and gauze and medical tape. Daryl stared down at her, chewing on the inside of his cheek while he watched her slender form moved with utter simplicity and flawlessness. He was knocked from his thoughts when she looked up at him, raising an eyebrow and waiting for his question,

"Yeah, I'm fine," He lied right through his teeth and leaned back, lying down on the cot. He held back a groan as his abs countered against him with pain from straining his muscles. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, hearing Harli moving towards him as she readied to fix his wound. He felt his shirt being pulled up to his mid stomach and then Harli's warm hands move to his wound, making his eyes open and look over at her. Her green eyes dulled as she looked over at him,

"I'm not going to lie… this is going to hurt." She said as she uncapped the bottle of alcohol, "Are you sure you don't want to go back to Hershel? He can numb you up…" She manned a rag in her other hand as the two stared at each other for a moment. Daryl nodded,

"Yeah, just do it already and get it over with." Daryl lied his head back on the pillow and stared at the mesh ceiling of the tent. She let him take one last breath before she draped the bottle over his stomach, letting the medical liquids hit his skin. His body lurched up and he arched his back, hissing through his teeth as the alcohol ate away at the bacteria in his flesh. Harli quickly squeezed the rag down on his abdomen, putting pressure on it to ease and relieve the pain. Daryl panted from holding his breath too long and put his body back down on the cot. The pressure from the rag dimmed the pain and he could feel his puncture wound heating up and becoming numb. He took a deep breath and looked over at her, seeing her pulling the broken stitches out of his skin.

"I hate that god damn alcohol." Harli looked up through her bangs as her hair was becoming dry. She smiled and yanked out another stitch,

"I know... this stuff sucks to use. But it's the only thing we have right now so you're gonna have to deal with it." Harli yanked out the last stitch and she heard Daryl grunt. She smiled and looked over at him as she pulled some thread through her needle, "Oh, stop being such a baby." She felt his eyes dart over to her and she couldn't help but smile to herself at the comment. He scoffed and looked out the mesh window of the tent as he could feel his skin being punctured by the needle, poking at the holes he had made in it earlier,

"Bet you been waitin' to hurt me. Stickin' that needle in my skin and watchin' me jump round in pain." He grumbled to her. Harli shook her head as she concentrated on the task at hand, carefully weaving the needle back and forth through his skin and pulling it tight along the way to close the wound.

"Of course not, I'm not that type of person. Just because Andrea shot you in the head yesterday, doesn't mean I'm out to get you, too."

"Psh… I don't know that."

**o.o**

_The darkness of night dampened the land and the purple and orange haze of the disappearing sun struggled to grasp onto the sky for one more moment to express itself. The birds seized to sing to whoever listened and the bats came out to feed on the insects of night, swerving back and forth through the air, their little wings chirping._

_Harli lied in her tent, half asleep as she dwindled between consciousness and unconsciousness. Her mind finally drew blank and allowed her to sleep, her chest rising and falling with each careful breath she took. Her eyes drew open when she heard footsteps and her eyes immediately looked to the tent door confusingly as it was hanging open. She looked around and didn't see any of her weapons, making her even more confused in the situation. She leaned up and her blanket draped off her chest as she stared curiously out the door once the footsteps drew closer. A breath drew into her mouth and she swallowed a hard lump of air, moving back towards the other end of her tent. The cold air of night bit at her bare legs as she stared at the shadow drawing closer to the entrance of the tent._

_A hand pulled away the flap of the tent and the figure entered, leaning down towards the floor. Harli's eyebrows narrowed, "D-Daryl?" Her eyes focused to the darkness and she could see the small gleam of whatever moonlight glistened in his beautiful blue eyes. His eyes didn't hold any form of emotion or the friendly confusion she had grown so fond of, he only moved towards her in silent movement like a lone wolf._

"_What're you doing here?" She whispered as if trying to avoid waking anyone around her. He didn't reply to her and he only kept moving towards her. Before she knew it, he crawled over the top of her and stared down with an ominous, unknown stare. She meekly withdrew her body to the ground and stared up at him, breathless from the look in his eyes. She noticed he was shirtless, and oddly, didn't have any of the scars that she had noticed before. His head leaned down and his lips found hers, pushing his lips hard against hers while taking Harli's breath away. Warmth radiated off his body, making shivers run up from her toes through the top of her head. His scent made her breathe again as a soft wind blew through the tent, causing the mossy and musky fragrance wallow around in the boundaries of the mesh shelter. _

_Everything was becoming so overwhelming._

_He broke the kiss that seemed to last forever and moved her face to her neck, lightly kissing the healed scar on her throat. Harli lost her breath once again as goose bumps rose on her skin, his hot kisses trailing down her neck and across her collarbone. He returned and brushed his lips against hers and she felt his hand move up from her hips up and across her stomach, and back down to her other hip. She winced when she felt his thumb move down the exactly lining of the scar across her hip and to ease her alarm, he pressed his lips against hers once again, telling her that it was alright._

_His hand stroked her thighs and down across her legs. He wrapped his arm around the small of her back and pressed her body against his. His hands were so rough, but were so soft and careful as if Harli's body was a fragile, porcelain doll pieced back together, piece by piece with glue. He wanted to make sure she didn't break again. _

_At that thought, his deepened the kiss with her and his hands moved up-_

Harli lurched up, her arms keeping her from falling back to the uncomfortable softness of her bed. She panted heavily and stared at the deep, blue sky above her in the small canvas above here. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her arm and ripped the sheets off of her legs, her entire body feeling like it was on fire. She quickly put her pants and boots on and unzipped the door to her tent, diving out and stumbling across the campground. The cool air of the morning finally cooled off her sweating skin, making her sigh in relief and close her eyes, her head falling back in between her shoulders.

"Uh… Harli?" Slightly startled by the voice, her head snapped up to see Glenn, Carol, and Lori staring at her confusingly. Harli inhaled deeply and walked towards them, a smile on her face,

"Uh, hey guys. Sorry about that I kinda… had a bad dream." She lied to them through her teeth. She pouted, thinking at how the dream had ended so abruptly.

"That's okay… we're making breakfast now. Just eggs for now."

"Cool, I'll help." Harli rubbed her hands together and walked over next to Carol, grabbing the basket of eggs that Lori and Carl had harvested earlier that morning. She cracked a few eggs into a cup and beat them with an overused plastic forkfork. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Glenn was pacing with a disturbed and confused look washed over his face,

"Hey Glenn? You feeling alright?" She asked with an intense curioisty. He took notice to her concern and only stared at her, not saying a word. The two turned to see Dale stepping out of the Winnebago and Glenn instantly headed towards him, making Harli curious as to why he was acting so weird. Hopefully it wasn't any more girl troubles.

Breakfast was incredibly quiet that morning, causing Harli to be somewhat uncomfortable. Everyone sat around and ate in silence, but it was soon breached by Andrea annoyingly scraping her knife against the cheese grader in attempts to sharpen it. Harli was making another batch of eggs for whoever wanted more after the first serving, the spatula scraping across the pan to break them up and scramble them. Daryl ate in silence as he watched her, and not once did she glance over at him just to look, or smile at him.

She was oddly embarrassed by the dream she had only hours before.

Harli stood up and sighed, the skillet of eggs ready for others. She walked around in a circle, offering more of for them. The group was hungry, and they took whatever they could to stuff themselves. Around here, they never knew what could happen. A horde of Walkers could come out of nowhere and threaten their existence or other survivors could raid them in attempts to take what they thought belong to them. Harli saw Glenn standing up and walking over to the group, his face full with worry and concern. He had taken no food since it was made, the nervous look on his face stood out like a sore thumb,

"Uh um… guys…?" Everyone stopped and looked over at him, curious to as what he wanted to say in such a meek voice. Glenn rubbed his face nervously and Dale looked at him and nodded for him to pursue on with the subject. Glenn looked at the ground, shoved his hands in his pockets, then looked at everyone who stared at him, "So…. The barns full of Walkers…"

Any clink of a fork, scraping of a dish, and chewing of a jaw suddenly seized as everyone stared at Glenn with an intense look of shock. Harli narrowed her eyes at Glenn, and then fixated her apple green eyes on the barn a good hundred yards out. She had wondered why there was a board and a padlock on the barn before, but she never would have thought that Hershel, their very generous guest, was harboring a group of those infected beings.

"Are you sure Glenn?" Rick put his plate down and stood up, approaching the young Asian man. Glenn lowered his eyes and nodded meekly at their leader in confirmation. Rick looked back at everyone, then to Shane before he made a beeline off towards the barn. Shane put his plate down and charged after Rick, knowing that they had to investigate and make sure Glenn's words were correct. Harli wasn't far behind them, as well as the rest of the group.

They all stopped and Shane bustled past them, stalking towards the barn with an angered, solemn expression. He walked up cautiously to one of the cracks of the barn door, staring in with one of his dark eyes. A Walker slowly meandered up and stared back at him, his jaw clenching while turning around and walking towards Rick,

"You cannot tell me you're alright with this!" Shane hissed as he walked past his partner, who only kept his eyes especially focused on the barn door,

"No I'm not but we're guests here, this isn't our land!"

"This is our lives man!"

"Lower your voice!" Harli interjected between the twos arguements. Shane stared at her with cold eyes, but Harli stood her ground against him, but Andrea interfered,

"We can't just sweep this under the rug."

"It ain't right, not anymore." T-Dog shook his head as he stared intently at the barn. Harli watched as Shane paced like a hungry dog,

"How do we know they'll get out anyways? Who knows how long they've been in there! Safe and secure," Harli proposed and Shane shot her a look,

"It doesn't matter, we've gotta go in there, we make things right, or we just gotta go! We've been talking bout Fort Benning for a long time!"

"We can't go!"

"Why Rick, why!?" Shane barked loudly at Rick. Harli looked to Carol next to her as she swallowed a hard lump,

"Cause my daughters still out there…" She said meekly and Shane huffed with a low laugh, rubbing his head and putting his hands to his face,

"I think it's time that we just… consider the other possibility."

"Don't even talk like that Shane," Harli bit and Rick growled,

"We're not leavin' Sophia behind!" Rick argued and Daryl walked up, moving around Harli and Carol,

"We're close to findin' this girl I just found her damn doll two days ago!" Shane couldn't help but laugh at Daryl as he contradicted his every thought,

"You found her doll Daryl, that's what you did, you found a doll!" Daryl threw his arm up around him, walking towards Shane,

"You don't know what the hell you're talkin' bout!" Rick put his hand up to mediate, but Shane kept barking at Daryl, enticing him as Rick continued to try and calm Shane down

"I'm just sayin' what needs to be said! Man you get a good lead for the first 48 hours and let me tell you something else man!" Shane shouted and Harli walked up behind Daryl, gripping on his arm as Daryl slowly walked towards Shane. He didn't look back at her, only kept his eyes focused on his prey in front of him, "If she was alive out there and saw you comin', all methed out with your buck knife and geek ears around your neck she would run in the other direction!"

Rick thought ahead of Daryl's next move and put his hand out in order to stop him, but the brute force of Daryl's arm slammed up against him as he and Shane began throw words at each other. Daryl charged at him but Harli gripped onto his arm with both her hands and yanked back as the group tried to break them up quickly so a physical fight didn't break out. Lori and Rick shoved Shane back and he stared at them with anger and conflict. Daryl kept his eyes focused on Shane, mentally beating him with his fists as he was kept back by the others and Harli kept a good grip on his arm, "Just calm down Daryl,"

"Keep your hands off me!" Shane shouted while pointing at Lori and stalked off back towards camp. Rick stared at him with clenched teeth,

"Just let me talk to Hershel and figure it out!"

"And what're you going to figure out!?" Shane shouted as he began to charge at Rick like a pitbull fixed on a littler dog. Lori stopped him with her hand,

"If we want to stay safe and clear the barn, I have to talk him into it! This is his land!" Rick echoed back and Dale walked forward,

"Hershel sees those things as people. Sick people. His wife, his stepson are in there."

"You knew!?"

"Yesterday, I talked to Hershel," Dale defended himself,

"And you waited tonight!?" By this time, the conflict with Shane was starting to overbear its grudges on Harli and she stared at Shane, mentally evaluating his odd behavior he had been displaying ever since they all had showed up at the farm. All voices faded out as she stared at him, watching the movements of his face and his body, seeing it as all too familiar.

Her fight or flight response kicked in when Shane gave one last shout and the barn door threatened to open as the Walkers shoved and pounded against it, making it lash out at them. She jumped back, hearing their groans, hisses, and grumbles as they wanted to taste the group's fresh blood in their drooling mouths.

**o.o**

The group walked back to camp and Daryl and Harli lagged behind, leaving Shane to pace in front of the barn door by himself. Harli looked over her shoulder at him and watched his erratic, animalistic movements. She once admired and respected him when she had first come to the camp, but now, he was just an animal, no worse than what they were trying to survive against. She smiled and looked over at Daryl, "For the record, I think you could kick his ass any day."

Daryl looked over at her thoughtfully, half smiling as he looked forward, "That boys nothin' but all bark and no bite." Harli slowly came to a stop and the wind blew the hair from her face. Daryl turned and stopped along with her,

"I don't know what's going on with him and why he's acting the way he is."

"Well you're the brain doctor, ain't you supposed to know everything about how dumbasses like that act?" Harli narrowed her eyes and watched as Shane grabbed onto the board that kept the barn secure, moving it back and forth to make sure it was steady,

"It's like he's slowly, slowly diminishing from reality…" She whispered to herself as her brain began to fly in a million directions,

"What?" She heard Daryl asked and turned to face Daryl, his arms crossed over his chest. She was amused by his expression as she knew he was trying to figure her out,

"Nothing, all you people are just an interesting bunch of creatures."

"You talk like we're all a bunch of animals." He scoffed and Harli smiled, walking up to him,

"It's not that, I've just never been around a group of people with such a level of diversity before." She joked as she walked past him towards the designated camp. His eyes narrowed and he turned to follow after her and saw as she turned her head over her shoulder to see him catching up faster than expected. He reminded her of a lost puppy, "I'm thinking about going out on the trail with Rick later on today, you comin'?"

"Nah, I think imma take another horse and try and go from where I found her doll." Daryl shook his head and Harli stopped,

"But isn't that where you fell into the ravine in the first place?" He stopped halfway and stared at her,

"Yeah, but that don't mean it's gonna happen again. I ain't gonna be ridin no retarded horse this time neither." Harli looked at the ground, thinking about the many things that would happen to him, especially with the injury he had now. She swallowed a hard lump and looked back up at him,

"I'm not going to stop you, or try and stop you. No matter what I say, you'll do it. So all I'm going to say is, be careful and don't get yourself killed." She walked past him once again towards the camp, feeling irritation that he was going to leave again and risk his life for Sophia. But she admired him greatly for his determination and persistence on the search for the young girl. Even wounded the way he was, he wanted to do anything he could for the group. Harli could never be like that.

All she could think about after that was the relationship, the rather close relationship, which she and Daryl were developing faster every day. Harli just couldn't get that kiss out of her head, and she didn't know what to think of it. Was it impulse? Was it desire? Or did Daryl actually have feelings for a woman like her? It was all so overwhelming it made Harli's eyes hurt.

And that dream she had made her even more confused. She didn't even have dreams like that with Watson when she knew him. What kind of pull did Daryl have on Harli?


	15. Chapter 15

Harli's head draped over the back of the lawn chair as she stared up at the blue sky, her throat groaning as her hand wiped her forehead. She sighed to herself and closed her eyes, feeling the intense rays of the sun overhead bearing down on her somewhat tan skin. She and Glenn had been sitting on top of the Winnebago for quite some time, taking watch as the other went off doing businesses on their own. Rick had gone out somewhere with Hershel, Andrea was with Shane keeping a close eye out on the barn, Lori and Carl were off in the house with the rest of Hershel's family, and Harli couldn't imagine where Daryl was by now.

Harli's eyes cracked open at the sky and her head rolled over so she could see Glenn, noticing Dale's hat propped carefully on his head, "Hey Glenn, what happened to your baseball hat?" She asked while her green eyes curiously stared at him as he looked over at her,

"Maggie cracked an egg over my head this morning… it's all over my hat so Dale lent me his."

"She's still being stubborn?" Harli tucked her hands behind her head with a soft smile,

"Yeah, she hasn't really talked to me in a couple days."

"Well, do you really like her?" She looked over and watched as Glenn's head dipped and he chewed the inside of his lip, "Would you risk your life for her?"

"Of course I would… I mean when I think about dying today or tomorrow, I just think about the things I want to say to her and how much I want to be around her as much as I can if something were to happen to us. I've never felt this way about a girl before and everything is just so confusing." Glenn rubbed the back of his neck and Harli's mind flipped with Glenn's words circling around like a pool of water. The two young adults were suffering with the same problems.

"Hm, maybe it would be a good idea to express those feelings towards Maggie. Maybe she's equally confused and doesn't know what to do with her feelings either? By telling her what you told me, it'll probably help you out."

"I don't know…"

"Oh come on Glenn, you can do it you're a strong guy." Harli smiled at her friend and Glenn took the hat off his head, rubbing his fingers through his hair with frustration when he still didn't know what to do with himself. He sighed and leaned back in his chair, staring out at the distant farmhouse at the end of the dirt pathway. Harli rubbed the scabbed cut on her neck, ignoring the subtle soreness that inflicted in the nerves of her body.

"So anyways, what's with you and Daryl?" Harli looked over at him with narrowed eyes and sighed to herself as her Asian friend quickly changed the subject,

"Why do you always think there's something up with me and him?"

"Hm, well… you're always staring at him, you are both around each other a lot, you're the only one he's not really mean to, and I'm surprisingly curious as to why you both were soaking wet when you came back to camp yesterday." Glenn mentioned as he looked over at her, watching Harli sigh and stare off into the golden fields around them as a soft wind caressed her face. She fidlled around with a bullet in her hand as she carefully chose words to let escape the prison of her mouth,

"I don't know. It's hard to explain… I guess it's a lot like your relationship with Maggie. Everything's just so confusing and I've only known him for like… a month."

"You're lucky. I've only known Maggie for a few days." Glenn scoffed and Harli laughed under her breath as her fingers lightly traced over the brass casing of the bullet,

"Wait, if it's so confusing like me and Maggie… then you guys had sex!?" He said it a little louder than he intended, making Lori, Carl, and Patricia stare up at them from the house porch. Harli's face heated up at his sudden tone and she stared over at Glenn irritably. Glenn only meekly smiled, "S-sorry…"

There was a tense silence,

"Soooo…?" He leaned over, letting the words roll off his tongue longer than usual. She only rolled her eyes,

"You're like a girl Glenn, have to have the latest gossip on everything." Glenn stared at her with a slight sense of confusion and she only smiled, running a hand through her dark hair, "No, we didn't do anything you think we did. Daryl fell in the creek yesterday and when I went to grab him and help him out, he yanked me into the creek for payback for laughing at him. And we uh…." Harli turned her face away as she began to feel it heat up, her thumb trailing across her bottom lip at the fond memory. Glenn smiled as he began to get giddy like a child nearing a candy shop,

"Did you guys kiss?" He asked with a smile and Harli's bright green eyes dipped with the nod of her head in slight shame. Glenn laughed to himself and slapped his hands down on the handles of his chair, leaning back and staring at the sky, "Wow, it's about time you two did it."

"Excuse me?"

"Like I said before, I see the way you look at each other. It was only bound to happen sooner or later. Just, Daryl doesn't seem like the…" Glenn's face twisted into thought as he tried to find the right words. Harli watched him closely, "Relationship type."

Harli narrowed her eyes and stared at him, "Why would you say that?" Glenn sighed and stared out at the farmhouse, his eyes blinking inconsistently,

"I don't know. Just the way he acts around people and his anger problems. I don't think he's ever had a healthy relationship, or an extended one to say the least. He seems more of a one-night stand type of guy." Harli's eyes dropped to the top of the Winnebago, feeling a slight sense of shame as her eyes clouded over. Glenn stared over at her, half regretting what he had said. But he knew he had to say it, "I'm sorry. It's not that I don't like Daryl; I just don't want you to get into something you're going to regret. But it's up to you whether or not you want to listen to me, I may be wrong about him."

Harli chewed on her thumbnail, millions of thoughts sprinting through her mind in that second. She rubbed her forehead and looked back to Glenn, "It's okay. Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong, I guess I'll just have to find out by myself. He just confuses me just as much as everyone else."

"I know we've only known each other for a few weeks, but we're all a family and we all do our best to protect each other. Even if it's from other family members."

"Thanks Glenn." She smiled and Glenn nodded back at her. They heard unsteady huffing and looked down, seeing Shane stomping into the Winnebago and feeling it shake underneath them in his wake. The two looked at each other as they heard him rummaging around violently through the RV, not knowing what he could be in there for. They stood up as he walked out, the rifle lazily held in Glenn's fingers,

"You see where he went!?" Shane barked up at them with his gruff voice and Harli and Glenn looked at each other confusingly,

"Who?"

"Don't even try to shit me you two!" Shane's eyes darted all over the place as he looked for some sign of Dale, "Dale, Glenn, where'd Dale go!?"

"He wanted me to go run and get him some water, said he would cover me on watch."

"And he was gone when you got back?" Shane stared back up at Glenn with his hands on his hips,

"Yeah? Do you think he's okay?" Glenn and Harli exchanged brief eye contact, each looking a bit worried. Shane huffed,

"Yeah, he's fine."

"Why do you think he left then?" Harli stared down at Shane, but he failed to acknowledge her question as he stared out into a field,

"So you both have no idea where he went then?"

"I don't get it…."

"No man… you don't." Shane replied to a much confused Glenn as he stalked off in an unknown rage out towards the forest. Harli and Glenn looked at each other,

"What's been his problem lately? He's not acting like his normal self." Glenn sighed as he sat back down in his chair under the beach umbrella, Harli's eyes continuing to focus on Shane's erratic behavior. She looked back down at Glenn, who scratched his forehead,

"I don't know. I'm trying to figure that out."

"I keep forgetting you're a psychologist. You still haven't figured him out?" Harli shook her head and sat back down in her chair, sliding her fingers through her hair,

"No. I mean, his actions and behaviors could be a number of things, Bi polar, schizophrenia, psychosis, anything. It's just hard to figure out what it is without sitting him down and asking him questions like I normally would."

"Well why don't you try it?"

"I don't want to set him off if I make him think we're suspicious of him. He could do something drastic." Harli glanced over at him and Glenn nodded, looking out at the farmhouse once again,

"Yeah, I guess you're right." The two heard faint footsteps in the soft gravel by the Winnebago and turned to see Maggie angrily strutting towards the farmhouse with a basket of lettuce tucked under her arm. Glenn shot up to his feet, yanking off Dale's hat and nervously squeezing it in his hands,

"Maggie?" He called and she glanced up at him, her expression angry. She continued to walk, keeping a steady pace and ignoring him completely as she passed the Winnebago,

"Don't let her slip through your fingers. Go talk to her, say what you need to say, make her listen, and don't take no for an answer." Harli looked up at him thoughtfully and with a smile. He swallowed a hard lump of nervousness and quickly handed the rifle to Harli, latching onto the ladder,

"Hey!?" Glenn shouted and Harli almost dropped the rifle, recovering it awkwardly while staring down at Glenn, who ran after Maggie. She continued to walk away from him, but finally, Glenn made her stop and put the basket she held on the ground, ready to be serious,

"And he should be confessing his feelings for her about…. Now." Harli murmured under her breath as she could see the conversation between them getting intense. Finally, Glenn broke away from her and began walking back to the Winnebago, but then Maggie stopped him and kissed him with a smile. A smile lit up on Harli's face with happiness for her friend. She stood up and put the rifle down on her chair,

"Oh, I feel like Oprah."

**o.o**

Harli walked down to the barn where she had spotted T-Dog and Andrea stationed just outside keeping watch. She had looked for Daryl for a while and couldn't find a trace of him anywhere, not knowing whether or not he could be out injured somewhere again. She had also noticed that Carol was missing as well and figured that they had gone off together somewhere, making Harli somewhat jealous. To get her mind off things, she thought that a walk and friendly conversation with T-Dog, and possibly Andrea, would ease her mind. Her feet strutted down the softly graveled road and onto the uneven, grassy pastures out front. T-Dog and Andrea took notice to her appearance,

"Hey Harli, what you been up to?" T-Dog welcomed her with a smile, Andrea a bit apprehensive as she crossed her arms while leaning on an old wagon. Harli nodded towards him,

"Nothing at all, that's why I came down here. I was gonna go out scouting but I can't seem to find the gun bag anywhere… my pistol and shotgun are in it." Harli rubbed her head and put a hand on her hip. When Shane was asking about Dale and acting so erratic, she had a feeling that Dale had something to do with the disappearance of the guns and that's why Shane was so irate. She wasn't against Dale's decision if he was the one that did it, but it did make her a bit anxious about the security threat they face every day,

"That's weird, the gun bag should be in the RV. You didn't find it?"

"Uh, I probably wasn't looking very hard for it. Dale might've moved it somewhere without telling me." Harli rubbed her head in reply to Andrea as she walked towards the barn door, peeking in through a crack and watching as the Walkers meandered aimlessly through the depths of the barn. She stepped back, "I didn't realize how many were in there."

"There has to be over twenty or so, but keeping a guard out down here would probably be in the best interest to make sure they don't get out." T-Dog said with his arms crossed as he stared at the rickety old door from over his shoulder. Harli looked back at him,

"Yeah I guess so."

"We've been down here for a while and I think it's just about time we go out on our search. Rick should be back by now." Andrea lifted herself up and stared at T-Dog, briefly at Harli. T-Dog nodded,

"Yeah, it's far past noon and it's gonna be getting dark here in a few hours. Let's go see if they're all back now." T-Dog stared out at the house before looking over at Harli, "Harli, you comin?"

Harli nodded and the three began to walk towards the farmhouse, their footsteps syncing up with one another as they walking in silence. As they grew closer, Harli noticed Glenn and Maggie sitting on the steps and Carl and Patricia were still on the porch. Lori was nowhere to be seen. Harli looked around, seeing no Rick, Daryl, Carol, Shane, or Dale, "Where is everyone?"

"I don't know, let's find out." Andrea voiced back and Glenn looked up as he got to his feet upon seeing them approach. T-Dog stopped and looked up at his fellow survivor,

"Anyone wanna tell me what's goin' on here?"

"Where is everyone?" Harli asked and Glenn stared at her a bit confused,

"You haven't seen Rick?"

"He went off with Hershel. We were supposed to leave a couple hours ago." Andrea said, her eyes looking over her shoulder as if looking for any sign of the rest of their group,

"Yeah we were. What the hell?" Harli's head instantly flicked in the directed of Daryl's voice, seeing him walking forward from out of nowhere, Carol struggling to keep in tow. She put her face down and took a couple steps back,

"He told us we were goin' out." Daryl scowled as he looked to everyone, their eyes holding some type of neutral response to his appearance, "Dammit! Isn't anyone takin' this seriously!?" He stopped and turned, throwing his hand out towards the forest, "We got us a damn trail!"

Everyone froze when they saw Shane walking forward, the gun bag safely secure on his shoulder. Daryl smiled and walked forward, "Alright… here we go…" His slim, robust figure stopped and Shane's face was washed over with an unfamiliar determination. Harli took a much needed breath, narrowing her eyes as Shane pulled a shotgun off his shoulder, handing it to Daryl, "What's all this?"

"You with me man?" Shane asked and Daryl looked at him, wrapping his hand around the shotgun without a word, "Time to grow up!" He looked to Andrea as he neared the porch, "You got yours?"

"Yeah, w-where's Dale?"

"He's on his way…" Shane replied plainly and handed T-Dog a pistol. The black man looked up at Shane,

"Thought we couldn't carry?"

"Yeah, well we can and we have to." Shane stopped with another shotgun in his hand and by this time, everyone crowded around Shane and stared at him as if he were insane. "Now look! It was one thing for us to be sitting round here pickin' daisies when we thought this place was safe but now we know it ain't!" He walked up to Glenn and put out the end of the gun in an offer, "How 'bout you man? You gonna protect your own?"

Glenn hesitantly looked over at Maggie, ignoring her pleading stare as he grabbed the shotgun from Shane's rough hand. Shane looked to Harli, pulling out her shotgun and offering it to her, "And what about you, Harli? You gonna put your skills to the test and protect this group?" Harli stared hard at Shane, her eyes and face dark with annoyance at his behavior. She saw the determination, fear, and greed in his eyes, his jaw locked as it grinded away his teeth. Harli latched onto her shotgun and cocked the slide, ejecting the only bullet in and ultimately tossed it to the ground with opposition,

"We don't need protection because there is no danger here!" She snapped back at him, staring into his dark eyes. He growled and ripped his gaze away from her, looking at everyone else that had crowded around him. Maggie stepped forward,

"You do this, you hand out all these guns, my dad will make you leave here tonight!" She warned and Shane began to pull out more pistols and guns,

"We have to stay Shane." Carl voiced from behind and walked down the steps, stopping next to Harli. She looked down at him, Carl wearing his father's trusty sheriffs hat,

"What is this!?" Lori took notice to the hand out and frantically came running from the house,

"We ain't goin anywhere, okay!? Now look, Hershel, he's just gonna have to understand. Now we need to find Sophia, am I right?" Shane pulled a small revolver from the belt of his pants and knelt down in front of Carl, holding it out to him pistol grip first, "Now, I want you to take this, keep your mother safe and do whatever it takes. Go on, take it."

Lori yanked Carl back and hissed at Shane's her words venomous, "Rick said no guns! This is not your decision to make!"

"Oh shit…" T-Dog expressed as he noticed a couple familiar faces stumbling through the field down next to the barn. Harli walked up behind him and stared, seeing Rick, Hershel, and Jimmy stepping out of the tree line with long rods attached to two other individuals.

"What is that…?" Shane saw them out in the distance and immediately took off in a dead sprint, "What is that!?"

"Wait Shane!" Harli then sprinted off after him, everyone else following after her quickly to curiously see what was going on.

Harli watched as Shane shoved open the gate that led to the barn and Rick's face turned sour, "What the hell you doin!?"

"Shane, just back off!" Rick barked back to his partner. Harli stopped and stared at the sight before her, her mouth open to suck in air that her lungs needed. Rick and Hershel pulled along two Walker's on animal control catch poles, Jimmy taunting them to follow after him towards the barn. They snarled and hissed, clawing out at whoever's warm flesh their eyes fixed on. Harli put her fingers on the hatchet in her belt, but she didn't feel the need to pull it out at that moment as she trusted Rick and Hershel to keep them restrained. He mind flushed when she heard Shane's frantic voice,

"You see!? You see what they're holdin' on to!?"

"I see who I'm holding onto!" Hershel bit as he and Rick continued their way to the barn. Shane paced around them like a hungry wolf, ready for more,

"No man, you don't see!"

"Let me do this so we can talk!" Rick mediated while struggling to keep his Walker under control,

"What we need to talk about Rick!? These things ain't sick! They're not people! These things don't feel nothin'! All they do is kill!" Shane wheeled around to face Andrea and Patricia as they stood and watched Shane continue to pace, "They're the things that killed Amy and Otis! They're gonna kill all of us!"

"Shane stop!" Rick shouted as they neared the barn door. Shane yanked his pistol out from the waistband of his pants and stood defensively in front of the door,

"Hey Hershel, let me ask you somethin'. Could a livin', breathin' person walk away from this?" He raised his pistol and pulled the trigger on the Walker, Hershel watching in utter shock as four bullets pierced the Walkers chest. It stumbled back and growled, lashing out towards Shane in retaliation.

"This is madness, what is he going to do?" Carol mumbled under her breath while standing next to Harli. Harli looked to her and then noticed Lori slowly trying to hurrying towards the unfolding situation as Carl held his stomach out of minor pain. Harli began to wonder, herself, what Shane's unpredictable behavior would eventually lead to. Her green eyes lowered to the ground after staring at Shane for a few moments.

There was nothing she could do.

She jumped at the sound of Shane shooting the Walker more and more as he tried to convince Hershel the real reality of the Walker's behavior. Rick looked to Shane, "Shane, enough!"

"Yeah man… that is enough…" Shane walked forward and put the gun to the Walker's head, pulling the trigger back with a heavy thrust. It fell to the ground and with one last hiss, lied down for its final rest as Hershel let the rod go. Shane returned to the barn door, "Enough, riskin' our lives for a little girl who's gone!" He barked, staring over at Carol who meekly stepped backwards at his loud tone. Harli looked over at her reassuringly,

"It's okay… don't listen to him."

"Enough livin' next to a barn full of things that wanna kill us, enough!" Shane whirled around to face his friend, "Rick, it ain't like it was before! Now if ya'll wanna live, you gotta fight for it! And I mean fight! Right here… right now!"

Shane ran towards the barn door and grabbed a pick axe, shoving it against the door and through the lock that kept the Walker's safe and secure. Harli only stood back and watched as Rick plead for Hershel to take the other Walker so he could try and stop Shane. But Harli saw the far off, grieving look on Hershel's face as he stared at the barn helplessly. All Harli could do was take in the corrupt situation as the other's faces were torn between helping Shane and trying to keep peace among the group. Everyone yelled and Lori screamed for her husband, Carol stepping back behind Harli and Harli dutifully stood in front of Carol for protection. Shane finally ripped off the lock and tore the board off the barn door, throwing it to the side angrily. He pounded his hands on the door violently, ringing the Walkers dinner bell as he stepped back and readied his pistol for the first face he saw that crept out of the darkness.

Harli turned when she saw Daryl stepping in front of her, her green eyes trailing to him as a soft wind blew the bangs from her face. He lowered the shotgun and looked back at her and she slowly blinked, reading the look in his eyes as they wanted approval for the actions he was about to commit. She let a breath escape her lips and nodded, stepping back away from him. Daryl hesitated for a moment, then turned and raised the shotgun just as the first Walker had escaped the dark barn, its lustful eyes fixated on the living beings in front of it.

Andrea and T-Dog ran forward, raising their guns and backing Shane up as the barn door opened wider. One by one the Walker's emerged and took notice to the mass amount of food around them, their pace quickening hungrily. Shane took the first shot, taking down a Walker with a well-aimed bullet to the head and everyone began to release the bullets from their gun's chambers at one moment. Daryl ran up for a closer shot and consecutively fired, bringing down his targets with each pump of his heavy shotgun. Carl ran up to his father as Lori clawed at him to not move and Maggie let Glenn go forth to help protect them all.

One by one the Walker's fell, the echo of the shots ringing through Harli's ears as she stood in refusing to take action. She understood Hershel's intentions with the Walker's and knew that the barn would've have been nothing to worry about if Glenn had known nothing about it. But at the same time, it was better for this to happen and be safer than dead.

The last of the Walker's moved out and they were easily put out of their misery. The sun beat down on the survivors as they stared at the damage the shooters had caused in their bullets wake. Harli glanced back and forth from everyone who was unarmed, as they did with her. She managed to head footsteps moving behind her and turned, seeing Dale with his mouth wide open in horror of the sight before him. His eyes were glazed over with confusion and tremor, his rifle in hand.

Then everything went silent as all the Walkers dejectedly fell to the ground.

Snarling and hissing could be heard from the depths of the barns darkness and everyone stared back, waiting for whatever to come out of hiding. With all their guns pointed at the crack in the door, everyone's breathing managed to halt for a few seconds in anticipation. Slowly, a small, shadowy figure made way out of the barn and it put its hands up to its face to shield its sensitive eyes from the rapid sunlight that bore down upon it. Slowly, its hands fell and everyone's muscles froze, their eyes not even blinking in the moment that unfolded. Harli's mouth slowly dropped as her lips parted in utter shock and awe, her hand sliding over her mouth as a warm sensation crawled up the back of her throat.

Standing before them, Sophia stood with decay threatening her pale skin. A large bite mark on her neck had bled profusely and stained her shirt covering her body. She looked up and her silver irises darted back and forth towards everyone who stared, her silver irises lustful in their gaze. No one would dare raise their gun to her as they heard Carol's unsteady breathing once she realized her dead daughter stood before them. Harli turned when she heard Carol's footsteps form into a dead sprint, her hands reaching out to her to grab her, but Carol shoved her away, almost making Harli hit the ground. Fortunately, she couldn't get past Daryl's brute strength and he swiftly caught her, lowering her to the ground as tears began to stain her cheeks.

As if hearing her mom's soft sobs and the murmuring of her name, Sophia walked forward as her head jetting about to stare at all the potential food circled around her. No one moved a muscle as she continued to walk forward, growling and snarling at them through her dirty teeh. She carefully made way around her fallen counterparts, and after Rick took a look around at his group, seeing no one moving, his legs moved and he slowly closed the gap between him and Sophia. He yanked his Python from the holster on his leg and moved in front of Shane, stopping and raising it. Sophia stopped as well, staring up at him as if she had recognized him from her previous life. Rick had anger, shame, and hesitation in his eyes, and Harli closed her own eyes, waiting for the gunshot to sound into her ears.

Rick put his finger on the trigger, giving one last look at the child, before pulling it and ending her life.


	16. Chapter 16

Time had seemed to stand still in the moments of utter silence and complete shock. Harli's green eyes stared at the ragged corpses that littered the graveled grounds before the old barn with Sophia's body lying motionless by Rick's feet, a bullet hole in between her eyes. Carol's cries echoed through her ears as she turned her head, seeing Daryl's lips moving and his strong arms helping Carol to her feet. She ripped away from his grasp and ran towards the Winnebago, the soft wind from her passing by caressing Harli's shoulder. The farmhouse family only stood and stared at their downed counterparts as blood trickled from the wounds on their bodies.

Harli's legs finally took their first steps, in which seemed like hours, and moved her body forward. She stopped next to Dale, who looked at her equally with the expression her face held. Dale put a hand on her shoulder and Harli took a deep breath,

"All this happened…" She whispered, her mind not being able to pull a sentence together at that moment.

Beth suddenly brushed past her and Rick tried to stop her, but she shoved away his hand and moved towards a woman's body on the ground. She knelt down next to it, and to no one's knowledge, it growled out and latched onto the girls shoulders, its jaws gnawing at her flesh. She screamed out and the group surrounded them, trying to pry Beth from her mother's deadly grasp.

Harli stomped her foot down on the Walker's stomach and it gurgled out, but continued its bloody rage. Rick, Shane, and Hershel managed to get Beth away and Glenn had his hands wrapped around its wrists to keep it at bay. It launched at Glenn's hands and Harli quickly kicked its face away, pushing Glenn back as Andrea grabbed a sickle. With one swift swing, Andrea swiped the scythe and everyone watched as it plunged it into the Walker's head.

Harli panted from the adrenaline of the situation, looking to Glenn as his eyes were thankful for her help. Hershel quickly pulled his daughters along as they began to walk back to the house, leaving the rest of the group to their grim thoughts.

Harli turned, seeing Lori cradling Carl in her arms as the two continued to stare at the bodies. Harli walked up to them and Lori noticed her approach, "Are you two alright?" She asked and Lori stared up at her with a nod,

"Yeah, just a little shaken up…" Lori stroked Carl's head as Harli sat down next to them and wrapped her arms around her legs. The two women felt a chilly wind blow through the air and they looked up, seeing a large clump of grey clouds rolling in through the sky and eating the sunlight that warmed everyone's skin,

"I can't believe Shane did this, he's becoming completely erratic." Lori said with venom in her voice as she pulled Carl towards her, the young boys face solemn. Harli looked back to the carnage,

"I wasn't expecting him to do this; otherwise, I wouldn't have thrown my gun to the ground…" Harli said in a low tone. She noticed Andrea had found a blanket in the barn and brought it out, setting it over Sophia. Harli's eyes turned,

"I'm glad you didn't. It's good to know that we have some sane individuals here that aren't willing to shed blood every chance they can get." Lori reassured and Harli nodded at her. She leaned forward and looked over at Carl, his short, brown hair being caught numerous times in the wind,

"How you doing over there, Carl?" Harli asked him, her voice low as she spoke. He looked over to her and nodded,

"I'm fine." There was a soft silence for a few moments, and then Carl looked back to the bodies, "I thought we'd find her."

"We all did, honey."

"No, I mean, that'd I'd be the one. That maybe she was hiding somewhere in a cave or in a tree. Somewhere safe, and I'd find her and bring her back… Dad, he did the right thing. I would've done it, too." Lori and Harli had no words for the child as he looked to them and then carefully back at the barn. Harli heard crunching footsteps behind her and quickly got to her feet when she saw Shane approaching. She stood still as he looked at her without acknowledgement, passing her with no words. She stared at his back hatefully and turned, walking towards the rest of the group.

Rick eventually showed up and stared down at the corpses, seeing that Andrea had covered Sophia's body. Harli, T-Dog, Andrea, Shane, and Jimmy stared at their leader, waiting for a judgment call on what to do next. Without a word from his mouth, T-Dog spoke, "Want us to start burying them?"

"We can't just bury them just like that; we need to do something in their honor." Harli mumbled, staring down and kicking at the dirt,

"I agree with Harli, we need a service, Carol would want that."

"And Hershel, too. We should bury Sophia, Annette, and Shawn." Harli replied to Andrea. There was still no response from Rick as Harli spoke her words. Lori walked up behind Rick and spoke for him,

"We'll dig the three graves for them, uh, over by those trees." Lori pointed out towards a clump of trees occupied from soft, luscious grass. "And we'll need a truck for the rest." Harli peered over her shoulders, hearing Jimmy call out to go get the keys, but Shane had stopped him and went for them himself,

"Let's get to work." Lori called out softly to them, trying to get their motivations together. Harli and T-Dog walked to the side of the barn, searching for any spade's or shovels,

"Yo, Harli," She turned and T-Dog tossed her a shovel. She caught it awkwardly and it slipped through her fingers, the hard steel head clanging against the ground. She retrieved it quickly and the two walked towards the trees, scanning the ground around them,

"You think this is a good spot?" Harli mapped out the three graves and T-Dog nodded,

"Yeah, but we shouldn't dig too close to the tree, we'll get snagged up on some roots while we dig."

"Yeah, you're right." The two walked a few feet further out from the trees and stopped. Harli plunged the nose of the shovel into the ground, ripping up a large patch of grass as it desperately tried to cling onto the damp soil below. She tossed it forward and began her work, repeating the process over a hundred times.

She stopped momentarily, turning to see Shane backing the baby blue truck up to the barn. Andrea and Jimmy had wrapped the loved ones in blankets and Shane helped them set the bodies into the bed of the truck. He easily backed them up to the roughly dug gravesites as Harli and T-Dog began to make steady progress. Andrea handed Shane a shovel and the two began on the third grave, Jimmy helping Harli as she was struggling to keep up.

A good hour had passed and the survivors made good progress as the graves were finally dug six feet under. Harli wiped her forehead of the dirty sweat, her arms shaking from the fatigue of nonstop shoveling. Lori had shown up and gathered some rocks for headstones as Shane and T-Dog crawled of their finished sites,

"That's about it…" Harli threw one last shovel full of dirt onto the mound above her and took T-Dog's hand as he elevated it down. She wiped her pants of the dirt clinging to them, a small cloud of dust manifesting in the air and returning to the ground below her where it belonged.

"Do you want to go get Carol with me?" Lori asked, staring over at the exhausted Harli. She looked over at her shoulder to the Winnebago, then back to Lori with a regretful head shake,

"No… I'm not real good with words. You'd be better off to go."

"Alright." Lori turned and wheeled away to the Winnebago to retrieve Carol for a silent ceremony. Harli looked to Shane as he stared at Lori, moving away. She tossed her shovel to the side and looked to T-Dog and Jimmy,

"We should get them in the graves now and start burying them before everyone comes out." T-Dog walked over with Harli as they moved to Sophia's body first. T-Dog took the torso, and Harli, the feet. With the most careful actions, they stepped into the grave and slowly lowered her body into the carefully dug hole. T-Dog crawled out of the grave and Harli noticed Sophia's arm had fallen out from the safety of the blanket. She took a deep breath and knelt down; grabbing her cold flesh with the utmost care, lifting the wool blanket and placing it back inside.

**o.o**

The ceremony went on for half an hour and the dark clouds rolled in faster than anyone had expected. The wind blew, making the warm skins of the survivors shiver, but they ignored the weathers protests and focused on their loved ones. Hershel had said a few words and excerpts from the bible to help the poor souls direct their way to heaven.

Harli's eyes trailed from the graves to Daryl. His arms were crossed and he stared down at the mounds of dirt. His jaw clenched and unclenched, no expression on his face. Lori had said that they couldn't convince Carol to come down to the ceremony. He was standing all by his lonesome, his crossbow standing loyally at his feet.

After a long moment of silence, the group broke off in all kinds of different directions. Daryl swung his crossbow and wrapped it around his shoulder, stalking off towards a wheat field in the distance. Harli hesitated, but moved off after him.

Daryl could hear the soft footsteps of her smaller figure moving after him, so he slowed his pace without her knowledge. He kept his eyes set on the forest before him, "Daryl, wait."

"What the hell you want?" He stopped and turned, his hard, deep blue eyes trying to stare through her. His face looked hurt and clouded, making Harli's heart throb in her throat,

"I just want to make sure you're alright…" She stared at him solemnly and he chewed on the inside of his lip, his face hard,

"I'm fine. I dunno what you're so worked up about." He turned and began to walk away from her again. Harli pursued after him, jogging up behind him,

"You can say that, but I know searching and finding Sophia meant a lot to you, more than any of us. I can tell you're angry. Is it because Carol neglected the ceremony for her daughter?" Daryl continued to walk and ignored the question directed at her. She quickly moved around him, walking backwards. He tried to continue to ignore and avoid her determined gaze, "Or is it because you went through all that trouble, risked your life to find her and she repays you by not paying respects in regard to your hard work?"

"Knock it off okay!? I don't want to hear your dumb questions no more!" Daryl whirled around to face her and Harli only stared at him, her eyebrows knitting together. She knew his harsh words were a wall,

"You can't stop hiding it anymore! If you don't outlet your anger then you're going to explode and I don't want you to hurt anyone, especially yourself if need be." Daryl tried to brush past her but she stepped in his way. He stared down at her with irritation,

"Get out of my way, girl."

"No." He narrowed his eyes at the unknown look on her face, something he hadn't seen before. In his eyes, she was innocent, gentle, and submissive towards the certain situations that the group had encountered. But he saw the strength and vigor in her face in which he hadn't seen or imagined she could withhold,

"I can help you Daryl. You just have to let me try. I'm sorry that all this happened the way it did, but you can't sit here and blame us or yourself." She watched the crossbow drop to the ground, the strap still occupied by his hand. She looked down at it, then back up at him as his eyes stared blankly down at her. She inhaled deeply and closed the space between them. She raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck, pulling her body towards the warmth of his like a magnet. She felt the tone muscles of his arms and shoulders tense up as he was still unfamiliar to such human contact.

She brushed her fingers through his brown hair, her other hand gently caressing his shoulder in attempts to comfort him. The soft beating of his strong heart beat against her own chest and the generally sweet smell of his musky skin filled her nose. She pulled back and stared into his blue eyes, and it surprised her even more that he had done nothing to stop her or had said anything to make her recoil.

She moved her face forward and placed her lips on his in a soft kiss. She had brought her calm demeanor, knowing what she would face and she wanted to calm him down. A small kiss was the trick to that, and finally she pulled back and stepped backwards, "Why do you try so hard to get close to a person like me?" Daryl narrowed his eyes and stared at her with confusion and curiosity at the younger woman. Harli smiled softly,

"I don't know. People like you just intrigue me I guess, I'm drawn to you."

"People like me?"

"It's hard to explain." She expressed. She put her hands in her back pockets and Daryl lifted up his crossbow and placed it promptly on his shoulder. Harli didn't feel embarrassed by what she had done and she had actually felt right about doing it. She had grown incredibly fond of Daryl, "I'm gonna go see if the others need help." He nodded as she brushed past him to walk back towards the barn. Daryl briefly looked over his shoulder, watching her walk away. He grunted and moved his legs forward, walking off towards the forest.

"Damn girl…" He wiped his lips with the back of his hand. Harli had such a hold on him when they were around each other, and sometimes, even a trance. It made Daryl edgy about her intentions; like there was a side of her he could not decipher. She was different from a lot of girls he knew, and most of them he just got with because of his brother, and they were drunk or high on drugs and left before he even woke up the next morning. Trying to develop a healthy relationship with a woman was unfamiliar to him and his brother didn't help much since he always called Daryl _soft_ or a p_ussy_ because he had feelings and tried to be an actual human being.

A cruel and abusive life came with consequences such as these.

Harli strode across the soft grass below her feet back towards the farmhouse to retrieve her fallen shotgun. Now that the cat was out of the bag, there was no real reason not to carry a gun. Especially with the bloodshed and gunshots earlier, Walkers could've heard it for miles. As she approached the farmhouse, she noticed that Rick was gearing up in the Cherokee. She found her pace quickening towards him,

"Rick, where are you going?" She asked and Rick stepped out of the vehicle, leaning his arm over the door,

"We can't find Hershel anywhere and his trucks gone. Beth is in some state of shock and's not responding to anyone. Me and Glenn are gonna go out and try to find him in town, that's where Maggie thinks she is." She heard the house door swing shut and saw Glenn stepping down the stairs, his shotgun in hand. Harli looked back to Rick,

"Can I go?"

"I don't know… they might need you around here." Rick said as Glenn approached. Glenn looked to Harli,

"Are you going with us?"

"Look, it's one thing that I didn't do anything during the barn incident. At least let me come along for back up, you may not have enough firepower if that place is riddled with Walkers. You know I can shoot, Rick!" Harli ignored Glenn and continued trying to convince Rick. Rick sighed and put his head down, running his hand through his slick black hair. Glenn looked to Rick,

"Come on, Rick. We might need her and she's willing to come help us, unlike the others." Rick let out a slightly irritated breath and put his hand on his hip, deliberating the decision. Glenn and Harli exchanged glances and Glenn shrugged softly in response to her gaze. Rick lifted his head,

"You can go. Go get your guns, they're on the porch." Rick and Glenn began to get into the Cherokee and Harli rushed up the porch to the gun bag. She rummaged through and found her pistol, loading her pockets full of bullets. She grabbed her shotgun as well and a box of shells, turning towards the Cherokee. A soft hand gripped onto her arm and stopped her in her tracks, Harli turning as her eyes came to Maggie's concerned glance,

"Please, take care of Glenn…." She mumbled for only Harli's ears to catch. Harli looked into her eyes and nodded,

"I will, don't worry."

Maggie mouthed a _thank you_ and Harli quickly went to the vehicle when she heard the engine roar to life. Harli jumped into the back, throwing her shotgun on the other side of the seat. Rick pressed on the gas and they were off down the road before they knew it.

The trees flew by in a blur and Harli's green eyes tried to grasp onto anything that came in contact with them, but to no avail. She leaned her elbow on the window and rested her head on her fist, staring out in the green abyss. A good hour had passed by, and Harli could see the small down in the distance. She heard Glenn shift uncomfortably in his seat, and looked over his shoulder,

"Hey Harli… what'd Maggie say to you before you got in the car?" He asked curiously and harli moved over into the middle seat to look at him,

"She said she wanted me to take care of you. Why?" He shook his head and looked out the window,

"Nothing… just wondering." There were a few moments of silence as the vehicle finally entered the small town. Glenn looked over at Rick, then back out the window,

"Maggie told me she loved me." Rick looked back and forth from the road to Glenn, nodding at him a bit. Glenn smiled and laughed, "She doesn't really mean it. I mean, she can, but why? Maybe she's upset, or confused. She's probably feeling like-"

"I think she's smart enough to know what she's feelin'." Rick voiced and Glenn only shook his head without a smile on his face,

"No." He said plainly and Rick laughed under his breath, Harli poking her head over the seats and staring at Glenn,

"Why would you think she's lying? Love is nothing to lie about."

"I think she wants to be in love, like she needs something to… to hold on to-"

"It's pretty obvious that Maggie's in love with you. And not because you're one of the last men standing so what's the problem?" Rick tried to persuade the young man and Glenn hesitated, looking down at the floorboard. Rick and Harli exchanged glances and Glenn sighed, staring at the two,

"I didn't say it back…"

"Uh huh…."

"Oh boy…" Harli drew back in her seat and stared at Glenn. Glenn shook his head,

"I've never had any woman say that to me before… you know except my mom before, and my sisters. But with Maggie, it's different. We barely know each other. What does she really know about me? Nothing. We're practically strangers. I don't know what to do with it, I stood there like a jerk." Rick couldn't help but smile at Glenn's hardheadedness,

"Hey, this is a good thing. Love is something we don't get enough of these days, enjoy it. And when we get back, return the favor, it's not like she's going anywhere." Glenn nodded softly and looked down. Harli looked out the window,

"He's right Glenn. Give what you receive back to her and all will be well."

"Coming from the girl who's having the same problems." Glenn mumbled to himself. Rick looked to Harli in the rearview mirror with a smile,

"And that goes for you too little lady."

"What're you talking about?" Harli mumbled while rubbing her arm with a bit of embarassment. Rick laughed,

"Don't think I don't know what's goin' on between you and Daryl."

"See? I told you it was obvious." Glenn smiled as he looked out the window. Harli's face heated up and she scratched her head,

"Hey uh… isn't that the bar right there?" She pointed through the windshield. Rick turned and things began to get serious, Harli could feel the tense air around her. He put the car in park and Glenn stopped,

"Rick, I know about Lori… her being pregnant. I'm the one that got her those pills." Glenn finally admitted with a bit of guilt. He had told Harli Lori was pregnant on top of the Winnebago earlier in the day,

"I figured." Rick opened the door and Harli put a reassuring hand on Glenn's shoulder. He nodded and the two exited the vehicle behind Rick, their eyes staring around the small town. Harli left her shotgun in the truck and pulled out her pistol, scanning the surrounding areas for a threat. Rick and Glenn exchanged words, but Harli focused more on watching the two men's back while they focused on getting into the bar.

**o.o**

Lori quickened her pace through the large field in the distance of the farmhouse. Beth's condition was worsening and Rick, Glenn, and Harli still hadn't come back with Hershel. They needed him now and every minute wasted without him was going to be a turn for the worse. Her destination came into view and her long legs moved faster as she spotted her target,

"Livin' in the suburbs?" She stared at Daryl, who had moved quite a long way away from the farmhouse as he irritably sharpened the end of a stick, beginning to make arrows. He only stared at her briefly, then went back to his survival duties, "Listen, Beth's in some kind of state of shock, we need Hershel."

"Yeah, so what?"

"Run to town real quick and bring them all back." Lori knelt down beside him, trying to convince him to help. Daryl continued to sharpen the stick, ignoring her pleas,

"Daryl," He looked over at her annoyingly,

"Your bitch went window shoppin'. You want him? Fetch him yourself. I got better things to do." He bit back and sliced off another piece of wood from the tip of the stick. Lori stared at him in a bit of astonishment at his words,

"What's the matter with you? How could you be so selfish?" Like a bomb igniting, Daryl jumped to his feet,

"Selfish? Listen Olive Oyl! I was out searchin' for that little girl every single day! I took a bullet and an arrow in the process, don't you tell me about gettin' my hands dirty!" Lori looked to the ground in slight shame and stepped back meekly. Daryl's jaw clenched and threw his hand up, "You want those two idiots, have a nice ride! I'm done lookin' for people…" Daryl sat back down next to the large stone monument and began to sharpen the tip of the arrow once more. Lori looked to the ground,

"Harli… she's with them." Daryl stopped momentarily and looked at the ground, then slashed his knife across the wood,

"Hell if I care. Think that'd change my mind? She's just another stupid girl whose ass needs to be saved every chance need be." Angrily he slashed at the wood with his nine-inch knife, leaving no room for hesitation and error. Lori swallowed hardily and turned in shame, walking away back towards the farmhouse. Daryl stopped and looked at her, then to the dirty ground in front of him. He clenched his teeth and threw the arrow and knife to the ground, grabbing his crossbow and walking into the woods.

**o.o**

Rick shoved open the door to the bar, guns ready to fire. Glenn and Harli looked in over his shoulders and the soft clanking of his boots was the only sound the echoed through their ears. Once in, Harli shut the door behind them and stared at Hershel, who neglected to look who had entered behind him,

"Hershel?"

"Who's with you?"

"Glenn, and Harli." Rick, Glenn, and Harli all walked towards him slowly, and he looked up to the ceiling,

"Maggie send them?"

"They volunteered, they're good like that." Rick spoke to the older man and Harli sat down on a bar stool behind Hershel while Rick walked up next to him. Hershel sipped on the small glass in his hand, Glenn, watching the door, "How many you had?"

"Not enough…" His words were slurred a bit as the whiskey he drank began to take its toll on his senses. Rick leaned down,

"Let's finish this up at home…" Hershel didn't say a word and Harli stood up, walking towards the other side of him,

"Beth collapsed. She's in some sort of state right now from the shock of the barn incident. I believe you are too." Hershel looked over at her, his eyes watery and glazed from the alcohol,

"I hear you're a psychologist… going to try and use your mind remedies on me?"

"Whatever it takes to help you through this, then yes." Harli assured and Hershel took another sip of his alcohol,

"Maggie's with her?"

"Yes, but Beth needs you…"

"What could I do? She needs her mother…. Or rather to mourn, like she should've done weeks ago. I robbed her of that, I see that now." Harli left Rick and Hershel to their business as Rick would've been the one to persuade him to come back. He had the ability to reason with others without any problems. She walked back to Glenn,

"Do you think he's going to come back with us?" Glenn whispered and Harli looked to him,

"He has to… he just has to." They heard something outside and Glenn and Harli quickly moved to the door. Rick looked back and walked to the door with them, his reasoning becoming invalid,

"So what do we do, wait for him to pass out?" Glenn whispered,

"Rick, we've got to get him out of here by nightfall," Harli looked out the door as if searching for some type of movement,

"Just go without me!" Hershel shouted to them without looking as if he overheard their quiet conversation. Rick looked to him,

"I told Maggie I'd bring you back with us."

"Like you promised that little girl?" Hershel scoffed under his breath. Harli looked to Rick, who stared at the ground with a sigh at the low blow below the belt. Harli frowned and turned, walking to Hershel,

"So this is what you're gonna do, huh? Sit here and drink yourself to death while your family is at home worrying about you!? They need your help!"

"Stop tellin' me how to care for my family!" Hershel stood from his barstool and marched towards the three,

"That's my farm, you people are like a plague! I do the Christian thing and give you shelter, and you destroyed it all!" His shouts shook the glasses on the wall as his blue eyes bored into Harli. Rick walked up in front of her

"The world was already in bad shape when we met!"

"And you take no responsibility! You're supposed to be their leader!"

"Well I'm here now! Aren't I!?" Rick bit back through his clenched teeth. The two men furiously stared at each other and Harli walked up to push them a part,

"Come on you two…"

"Yes…. Yes you are…" Hershel walked back to the barstool and attended his drink. Harli walked up and placed her hand on his shoulder, Rick right behind her,

"Come on, Hershel, your girls need you now…" Hershel pulled his arm from her grasp,

"I didn't want to believe Rick, all of you. That there was no cure, that these people were dead, and I chose not to believe that! When Shane shot Lou in the chest, and she just kept comin', and I knew what an ass I've been, that Annette was gone long ago and she was just a corpse! That's when I knew there was no hope… and when that little girl came out of the barn, the look on all your faces…. I knew you all knew it too…. there is no hope, and you know it now."

"There's always hope, Hershel, you just have to believe…" Harli mumbled and he stared at her for a moment, then back to Rick,

"There is no hope for any of us." Hershel moved back to his glass, his fingers gripping the edges of the glass loosely. Harli sighed and turned around, giving up on her convincing. She heard Rick grunt,

"Look, I'm not doing this anymore! Cleaning up after you… you know what the truth is!? Nothing has changed! Death is death, it's always been there! Whether it's from heart attack, cancer, or a Walker, what's the difference!? You didn't think it was hopeless before did you? And now that there's people back home where they need us to hold onto that hope, even if we don't believe it ourselves! This isn't about what we believe!"

Hershel sighed and grabbed his glass, swirling it around and drinking the rest of it in one swing, then standing to his feet in defeat. Harli knew that Rick had finally convinced him and getting him home was now the new task at hand. But just as she turned, she heard the loud squeak of the door handle turn, seeing the door cracking open slowly. Harli reached for her pistol out of sheer instinct,

"Son of a bitch, they're alive."

Harli's eyes widened when she saw two live men standing in the doorway staring back at them with smiles on their faces.


	17. Chapter 17

The broken group stared at the two unfamiliar men in a certain form of awe as time seemed to stand still in the small bar. The taller, more built man had scruffy facial hair and no weapons in which Harli could see just yet. His counterpart, who was shorter and rather on the heavier side, stood with a hat and a shotgun tossed over his shoulder with relenting eyes that stared back with the shock of new, alive, faces.

"Son of a bitch… they're alive." The taller one said with a smile as he looked back at his comrade. Slowly, they took a few steps further into the bar, the larger man shutting the doors behind him. Harli looked over to Rick, whose jaw was tight and apprehensive at the two men's sudden appearance. There were still no words between the two groups and Harli looked back to Glenn, who only shrugged. He didn't know what to say or do either,

"What'll you have?" Rick asked, breaking the silence and Harli and Glenn looked to the men as the taller one sat at a table, the fatter, next to Hershel at the bar,

"How bout a small shot tequila?" The man said with a crooked smile, his teeth showing in the grin. Rick nodded and turned, seeing Harli, who had already pulled the bottle out from behind the bar, pointing it to him. He took the bottle with a thankful gaze and uncorked it, turning with a shot glass and beginning to pour, "My name's Dave. That funny lookin' douchebag over there is Tony."

"Eat me, Dave,"

"Hey, maybe someday I will." They conversed with desirable humor back and forth. Dave looked over, "We met on the nine ninety-five comin' out of Philly. What a shit show that was..." There was still a bit of apprehension on Rick's side, but Glenn smiled and ignored the tension,

"I'm Glenn, it's nice to meet some new people."

"Rick Grimes." Rick began to pour shot's for everyone in the bar. Seeing that he missed Hershel, Dave spoke curiously,

"How bout you pal, have one?"

"I just quit."

"In a unique sense of timing my friend." Dave smiled with a slight laugh and Rick vouched for his older friend,

"His name's Hershel. He lost people today, a lot of them."

"Well I am truly sorry to hear that." Dave raised his shot glass in a toast to the fallen members of each party, "To better days and new friends and to our dead, may they be in a better place." The four men took their shots, Harli ignoring hers that was propped in front of her. Dave dropped his glass to the table and then looked over at Harli's eyes, who seemed a bit fearful and had yet to leave the sight of the two men,

"And how bout you sweetheart? Got a name?" Dave asked with much curiosity directed at her specifically. Harli leaned on the outside of the bar, continuing to stare at Dave,

"Harli Waldgrave." She managed to choke out and he smiled,

"Well it's nice to meet you there. You don't drink? Haven't even looked down at that glass since Rick poured it for you."

"I don't drink. It's not my type of interest."

"To each their own then." He nodded and noticed Rick staring at the pistol rested on his hip. He pulled it out, "Nice, isn't it?" Harli looked over to see Tony staring over at her with a far-too familiar look in his eyes. She gulped as a shiver went up his spine, moving a bit closer towards Glenn to avoid his beady, lustful eyes.

"You fellas are a long way from Philadelphia,"

"Feels like were a long way from anywhere. Well I tell ya it wasn't the weather, I must've dropped thirty pounds in sweat on the way over here."

"I wish…" Tony mumbled, giving the room a slight laugh. Dave sighed,

"At first it was DC, I heard there was some kind of refugee camp. But we never even got close… we decided to get off the highway and keep in the sticks to keep haulin' ass. Every group we came across had a new rumor about how we can get out of this thing."

"One guy said that the coast guard was beginning to send ferries to the islands." Tony was next to speak after his partner, Dave nodding in agreement,

"One after another, tellin' us about different defenses in the states all across the west." There was a small silence once again and Rick took another shot of alcohol. Dave's Adam's apple bobbed from hesitant words, "So, what about you guys?"

"Fort Benning eventually." Rick stated as he stared hard at the scruffy man. Dave sighed and shook his head,

"Hate to piss on your corn flakes there, officer, but we ran across a group stationed at Benning, said the place is overrun by lame brains."

"Wait, Fort Benning is gone? Are you for real?" Glenn asked nervously as he stared at Dave, who nodded,

"Sadly, I am. Ugly truth is? There's no way out of this mess. Just keep goin' from one pipe train to the next, hope mindless freaks don't grab a hold of you while you sleep-"

"If you sleep." Tony added quickly and then Dave got to what he had been waiting to ask,

"It don't look like none of you are hangin' your hats here, you stationed out somewhere else?" Harli then looked to Rick, who closed his eyes and bowed his head to the floor,

"Not really,"

"Those your cars out there?" Dave nodded towards the door as he pushed at the subject. Glenn nodded,

"Yeah, why?"

"Those cars are kinda, empty, clean. Where's all your gear?"

"Were with a larger group, out scouting, thought we could use a drink." Hershel swayed in his seat from a wave of drunkenness as he stared at Dave, who smiled back at him,

"Oh, Hershel! I thought you quit?" They were trying to keep the two unwanted men out of their survival business. Who knows what would happen if they led the two to the farmhouse?

"Well, we were thinkin' about settin' up around here, is it safe?"

"It can be. Well, I've only killed a couple Walker's around here." Rick nodded while looking towards the window briefly,

"Walker's? Is that what you call them? Oh, that's good, I like that better than lame brains." There was another tense silence between the two groups and Dave got back to business while staring at Rick, "So what you guys set up on the outskirts or something? A new development?"

"Trailer park or somethin'?" Tony lifted his large stature off the barstool and walked over past Harli to the wall of the room,

"Farmhouse?" Dave nodded and looked around the room while remembering the old childhood tune, "Ol McDonald had a farm…" He sang as he trailed off, looking over at Tony, who laughed, unzipped his pants, and began to urinate on the wall. Dave looked back to Rick, "You on a farm?" Rick heard the trickling and looked over at him disgustingly, as well as Harli, who scrunched her nose and looked away, "It's safe, it's gotta be. You got food, water?"

"You got more cooze? I haven't had a piece of ass in weeks." The group looked over at Tony and Dave rubbed his forehead,

"Listen... pardon my friend here these city kids, they have no class or respect. So Glenn, Harli-?"

"We've said enough…" Rick said in a deep voice, trying to end Dave's endless questions on trying to find out where his group was stationed,

"Well hang on a second, this farm, it sounds nice. Doesn't it Tony?"

"Yeah, real sweet."

"How bout a little southern hospitality? We've got a few body's back at camp and were havin' a real hard time. I can't see why you can't make room for a few more."

"Look, I'm sorry that's not an option." Rick voiced and struck Tony and Dave down once more, Dave looking to the ground,

"It shouldn't be a problem…"

"Sorry, we just can't," Harli's smooth voice whipped in, making the two men stare over at her. Rick looked to Dave,

"We just can't take in anymore." Dave laughed to himself and rubbed his head,

"You guys are something else… I mean, I thought we were friends. We got people we gotta look out for, too."

"We don't know anything about you…" Rick narrowed his eyes and Dave nodded in agreement,

"True… you don't know anything about us. You don't know what we had to go through out there, things we had to do. I'm sure you've had to do some of those things as well. Ain't nobody's hands cleaned of what is left of this world. We're all the same, so let's just take a nice friendly hay ride to this farm to better get to know each other."

"I think we should just all get to know each other…" Tony's rough voiced slithered into the conversation calmly. Harli felt a hand on her back and froze as it trailed down her lower back and onto her behind. She gasped and jerked her hand around, slamming her fist into Tony's pudgy cheek and watching as he flew back and hit the wall with a thud. She pulled her pistol out and aimed it at his head,

"Don't touch me!" Rick whipped out his pistol as well and Tony growled, pulling up his shotgun and aiming it at Harli,

"Stupid bitch!"

"Back off, right now!" Rick shouted at Tony with fierce warning, causing him look over at Rick. Dave jumped up and put his hands out defensively,

"Woah, woah, woah, woah… just relax here…" Harli let out a sharp huff, but kept her pistol raised as she stared into Tony's black eyes. There was nothing she hated more than a man touching her inappropriately and gazing at her with whatever lust they had. But that was, indeed, a downfall of working as a psychologist at a prison. "Take it easy… nobody's killing nobody today…"

Rick put his pistol back in his holster, his jaw tense and his body on edge, "Touch her again and we're gonna have a serious problem."

"Oh really?" Tony stared over at Rick challengingly and Rick didn't bother to reply to the New Yorker. His blue eyes stared calmly at her from over his shoulder,

"Harli, put the pistol down." Harli's green eyes looked over at him, his commanding tone ringing through her ears. With one last glance at Tony, she lowered it and placed it softly back in her holster, her hand hovering over it just in case. She felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Glenn tugging at her arm as he pulled her to the other side of him,

"He should be glad Daryl's not here…" Glenn whispered with a slight smile as she moved to the other side of him.

Harli half-wished he was.

Dave jumped up and over the bar, turning back towards Rick with a charming smile. He head Tony reach for his gun and Rick's hand hovered over the holster of his pistol, staring menacingly at Dave. Dave put his hands up and slowly pulled out his own pistol, putting it down on the bar with a smile, "Just friends having a drink… that's all. Now, where's the good stuff, let's see…" He leaned under the bar and Rick's hand landed on his pistol's grip cautiously. Dave took notice and pulled up another bottle of tequila,

"Ah, look at that…. That'll work." He twisted off the cap and began pouring his drink, "You gotta understand, we can't stay out there. You know what it's like."

"Yeah, we do. But the farm is too crowded as is, I'm sorry, you'll have to keep lookin'."

"Where do you suggest we do that?"

"I don't know… I hear Nebraska's nice this time of year…" Rick suggested and Dave only laughed while stepped back from Rick's words. He was completely intent on finding the farm,

"Nebraska…" Dave shook his head and laughed, looking over at Tony, "This guy…"

Dave suddenly jumped for the pistol, but his hand never made it in time before Rick had fired a precise shot to the chest, sending him plunging to the ground. He turned, just as Tony readied his shotgun, and fired twice into his chest and stomach. Tony slid to the ground and Rick walked up, sending another bullet through the man's brain just to be sure he wouldn't make it to his feet again.

Harli's ears rang as she stared down at the fat man, who had fallen in his own puddle of urine. Rick walked towards him and stared down at the body, Hershel walking up behind him in shock. Rick turned and looked at Glenn and Harli, Glenn refusing to look at him, and Harli only staring solemnly down at the body. Harli seemed to stand there for hours and the daytime had slowly turned to night as the bare moonlight glowed through the windows of the bar. Harli and Glenn finally walked over to Rick and he looked over at them, a strange look in his eye,

"Rick… we should probably start getting out of here…" Harli said in a low voice, careful not to draw attention to any Walkers who might be meandering about the property. Rick looked over,

"Hershel?" There was no debate from him as the older man looked down to the floor. He looked to Glenn and Glenn nodded at him reassuringly,

"Harli's right, we should head back now before it gets too late..." Glenn took her side and Harli headed to the door, the boards under her feet moaning in pain from her weight. Rick leaned down and grabbed the guns off of Tony's body, Glenn jogged to get the pistol from Dave's, and Harli peeked out the windows to see if there were any signs of Walker's. She heard the creaking and soft thuds of their boots as they approached, but then something caught her eye,

"Car! Car!" A sudden flash of light emanated through the windows and the group slid down the front of the store, sitting on the ground. Harli leaned up and glanced out the window, seeing three men stepping out of the vehicle,

"There's three of them," She whispered to Rick sitting next to her. They heard voices outside the door, calling out the names of Dave and Tony as they were looking for their departed friends. The shadows of their figures danced among the windows of the bar as they moved about in the search. Harli leaned her head back against the wall, "What are we going to do?"

"We have to get to the truck and get out of here while we can."

"We don't want to risk them following us!" Glenn whispered towards them. Rick took a deep breath and looked down, his mind tossing and turning for any good decision. A few moments had passed and Harli looked back out the window, seeing no one walking around the bar. Rick tugged on Harli's arm and he nodded towards Glenn and Hershel and they huddled in a crouched circle, "Why won't they leave?"

"Would you?" Harli asked with reason and Glenn let out a soft sigh. Rick shook his head

"We can't sit here any longer, let's get out the back and head straight for the car." The four rose to their feet, but just as they had, gunshots rang through their ears and they jumped back to their original spaces. Harli looked out the window and saw the strangers regrouping next to the truck, hearing their voices once again,

"They're coming!" Harli dove down on her rump and pulled out her pistol for safety. The footsteps came closer and everyone readied their weapons in case of an attack. Just as the door was beginning to open, Glenn dove and slammed the door back shut, leaving the unfamiliar men shocked,

"Someone pushed that shut, there's someone in there!"

"Hey, is someone in there? If someone's in there we don't want no trouble! We're just lookin' for our friends, Dave and Tony."

"What do we do, bumrush the door?"

"No we don't want to cause any trouble." One of the men reasoned among their group, "Look we're just looking for our friends, if something happened to them, just tell us! This place is crawling with corpses! If you didn't get us killed we'd appreciate it!" Harli saw the strain on Rick's face as he struggled to find something to say or do in that moment. He raised his head, lying against the wall,

"They drew on us!" Rick's voice echoed through the bar, and both Harli and Hershel stared at him with trepidation,

"Dave and Tony in there!? They alive!?"

"No." Rick said as hushed tones rang through their ears. These men were not going to leave without their comrades, "Your friends drew on us, they gave us no choice! I'm sure we've all lost enough people! Dumb things, we wish we didn't have to but it's like that now you know that! So let's just chop it up to what it was! Wrong place, wrong-!"

Gunshots shattered the windows above their heads and Harli put up her hands for protection, falling to the floor. Rick jumped up and fired his pistol, "Get out of here!" He shouted and Glenn and Harli jumped to their feet, running towards the back of the bar. Glenn hid behind a piano and Harli, behind the bar itself, hearing both Rick's and the men's gunshots syncing with each other. Harli pulled back the slide on her gun, making sure it was loaded, before cocking it and putting her finger on the trigger, just in case she needed it to protect her.

The gunfire finally seized and Harli sat back up, hearing the eerie silence around her. She peeked her head around the side of the bar, sitting up on her knees, waiting for something else to happen. She saw Rick emptying his gun and reloading it, "We all know this is not gonna end well! There's nothing in it for any of us! You guys just back off, no one else gets hurt!"

Harli turned when she heard something in the back of the bar move. Her heart began to race even more and her blood pumped so fast through her veins it was making her incredibly warm. She heard footsteps and saw Glenn running to the back door, his gun ready in his hands to gun down their opponents. Harli jumped up, too, watching his back as he opened up the door slowly, peering in through the darkness of the room. Glenn raised his gun and Harli put hers above his shoulder as he moved down the steps, hesitating once he heard a loud creak come from them.

The two finally made it to the floor and the room was so cold, dark, and eerie, it made Harli's skin produce goose bumps. Glenn stopped and Harli almost ran into him before she had seen him standing still. She heard a soft squeak coming from the door and noticed the door handle turning by the influence of someone's hand. Before she had time to react, Glenn raised his gun and shot out the window, the glass falling to the ground in shambles.

The two young adults both turned when they heard Rick's frantic cries echoing out their names. Glenn opened his mouth, "We're alright! We're alright…" He mumbled at the end, looking to Harli. She took a deep breath and let it out shakily,

"It's okay Glenn…" She whispered with enough reassurance to keep him moving. He nodded and the two ran to opposite sides of the door, Glenn's breathing becoming more erratic. Harli looked out the window, then to Glenn, shaking her head and signaling that he had hit no one. Glenn raised his gun and pointed it at the door as his hand neared the handle to open it. She saw a flash of white out of the corner of her eye, seeing Hershel approaching from down the creaky steps. He grabbed onto Glenn's shoulder, frightening him as he whipped around, pointing his gun at Hershel. Hershel slowly pushed the barrel away and Glenn brought it to his chest, "Sorry… sorry…"

"Rick wants you to try for the car…."

"Try!?" Glenn asked with a bit of fear and Hershel was quick to calm him,

"Try… and succeed. We're both here to cover you."

"That's a great plan…" Glenn stated sarcastically with the roll of his eyes before taking one last, large breath and proceeding to the door. Harli and Hershel exchanged glances before raising their guns and readying for cover while they followed after him. Glenn slowly moved out the door and down the steps, Hershel and Harli standing in the doorway above him. Glenn moved about next to a dumpster as he looked for the car and scanned his surroundings for dangers.

A gunshot echoed through their ears and Glenn fell to the ground behind the dumpster. Hershel moved around Harli and shot once at the perpetrator, sending him to the grass below him with a bullet in his chest. Harli looked down to her friend behind the dumpster, only seeing his sneakers staring back up at her in fear,

"Glenn!?" She whispered loudly, but no response came back to her to her dismay. Groans and painful calls came from the man trying to move about on the grass. She head footsteps behind her, seeing Rick approaching,

"What happened!?"

"He fired… must've hit Glenn, he's behind the dumpster…" Hershel looked over at the dumpster, as well as Rick and Harli. Rick shoved the door back open and stepped out, pistol in one hand and Tony's shotgun in the other. He moved slowly towards the dumpster as Hershel and Harli kept watch for any other sign of movement, living or dead. More cries came from the wounded man on the ground as Hershel and Harli waited for some life to come out from behind the dumpster.

Suddenly, the two men popped out, giving Harli some sort of relief. But it was soon taken away when another gunshot fired at Rick and Glenn, causing them to disappear behind the dumpster once again. With a keen eye, Harli looked up at saw a man on a roof, rifle in hand, who had most likely shot at them. Harli raised her gun, put him in his sights, and fired twice with the pull of her trigger finger. He managed to jump out of the way just in time, but he was too far for her pistols short range.

The truck they arrived in screeched to a halt under the building the man was stationed, "Let's get out of here! There's roamers all over the place, hurry up, we gotta get out of here!"

"What about Sean!?" The man on the rooftop yelled with concern,

"They shot him, we gotta get out of here now! There's corpses everywhere! Jump!" The younger man heeded his words and ran, jumping of the room of the building, trying to make it to the other. His feet slipped out from under him and he went tumbling off, landing with a blood curdling cry occupied with shouts for help. With one last apology from the driver, he speed off down the road, never to be seen from again.

The pleading cries of the wounded boy made Harli's skin crawl and waves of regret filter through her brain. She saw Rick run off and Glenn suddenly jumped up, "Hershel! Harli!" They turned and saw Walkers moving towards them quickly, but soon figured it was not them they were after, but the wounded enemy helplessly lying on the ground. They crouched down and began eating him, his cries of pain becoming even more frantic from being eaten alive. Hershel shot a bullet, putting one of the Walker's out of their misery and aimed again,

"Don't waste your ammo, we can't save him now!" Harli shouted and jumped out of the doorway, her gun raised cautiously. Hershel grunted and followed after as they moved towards the truck,

"The gunfire must have attracted the Walkers!"

"Where's Rick?" Hershel asked Glenn as they moved,

"I don't know, he went across!" He said as they finally reached the truck. Hershel looked to him,

"Well hell we can't leave without him!"

"Rick!" Harli ran across without hesitation, soon met along with Glenn and Hershel. The cries of the boy began to attract more Walkers as Rick looked at him helplessly, "Rick, we have to go we can't waste any more time here!" Harli plead while Hershel put his hand on the boys knee, Harli noticing a pointed, sharp rod from the gate by the dumpster sticking through his leg.

"We have to go son, I'm sorry."

"No, no, no! Please don't leave me…!" The boy shouted fearfully while leaning up and staring down at Hershel,

"We have to go!"

"We can't just leave him, he's just a boy!" Rick bit back angrily and Glenn pointed up to the boy,

"He was just shooting at us! This place is crawling with Walker's!"

"We can't leave him!" Rick mimicked and Hershel leaned over the boy's leg, studying the wound and making a quick verdict,

"The bar went clean through there's no way we can get it off without tearing about the calf muscles!" Hershel moved the leg and the boy slammed against the dumpsters with unbearable, painful shouts,

"Shut up or I will shoot you!" Rick shouted while trying to make a quick decision as Hershel pulled him aside. Harli jumped up on a bucket to try and calm the boy down,

"You have to be quite or the Walker's will come and kill us! Do you want our help or not!?" He didn't take Harli's word as he continued to cry out and struggle against the dumpster,

"Shut up!" Glenn growled and grabbed his leg, moving it around to cause him more pain. The boy cried out incredibly loud and Harli looked over to him,

"Glenn!?"

"I'm sorry, just please be quiet!" He plead meekly for the boy to be quiet in their dire situation. Harli looked down at him,

"Boy, I know it hurts, but you have to try and be quiet!"

"I can't, I can't!"

"Can't we just take the leg off!?" Hearing Glenn's words, the two both looked over at him and Rick and Hershel stared at him like he was a genius,

"That hatchet still in the car?" Glenn nodded his head at Rick and the boy shot up,

"No, no, please don't cut my leg off!" Rick ignored him and yanked out his knife,

"Will this cut through the bone!?"

"I'll have to severe the ligaments below the kneecap, above the fibula. He's going to lose his lower leg." Hershel was already rolling his sleeves up, intent on taking the boys leg off,

"Alright we have no choice let's get this over with quickly! Harli, help me hold him down!" Rick slammed the boy's torso back against the dumpster and Harli put her hands down on his chest, putting all her weight against him. Hershel tied his shirt tightly around the boy's leg to cut off circulation, the boy crying out violently and Glenn moved away from them, seeing a large horde,

"Guys, Walkers!" He called and Harli slammed her hand down on the boys mouth to avoid his cries as she heard Glenn's shotgun fire off, "Oh God, they're everywhere!" Rick let go of the boy and walked down the alleyway, seeing more approaching their position. He raised his pistol and Harli looked over at her leader, seeing as he began to fire,

"How we doin' over there, Hershel!?" Harli shouted while staring back at the old man,

"I need more hands!" Hershel readied the knife and the boy shot up from Harli's grasp,

"Please don't cut my leg off!"

"Lie down!" Harli slammed him back down on the dumpster, sitting on his stomach and putting her hands down on his mouth, "You're really starting to piss me off!"

"Come on we gotta go we're almost out of ammo!" Glenn shouted direly while his shotgun only held three more shells,

"Hershel, do it now!" Harli looked up to see Rick running back towards them as he became overwhelmed by Walker's . The boy struggled under Harli and she growled again, shovin her hands down harder on his mouth. His eyes clenched shut and she heard Rick and Hershel argue,

"Come on Hershel!"

"There's no time!"

"Harli, come on!" Harli jumped up and off the dumpster, following after Rick as Hershel headed for his Chevy,

"Please don't leave me here!" The boy yelled and Harli stopped, looking back at him with nothing but guilt. Rick then looked down at the boys leg and growled, grabbing it, and ripping it up and off the piece of metal. The boy cried out so loudly that it made Harli's hands shoot to her ears and clench her teeth from the shriek. She noticed that the large horde was surrounding them and drawing close to the crying boy,

"Harli, help me with him!" Rick yanked the boy's body off the dumpster and he fell to the ground. Harli ran up and threw the boys arm around her neck, lifting him up with Rick and dragging him along quickly,

"Come on, come on!" Glenn waved his arm quickly towards the Chevy and the two finally reached it. Harli jumped in the truck and pulled the boy in, sitting him next to her as Rick jumped in the front and Glenn, on the other side of the boy. Hershel slammed on the gas and the trucks tires squealed violently to try and take off. Harli jumped when she heard a thud and saw the Walker's slamming up against the truck as they moved out of the small town. The truck lunged and jumped as it ran over the bodies of the Walkers.

Hershel was finally on the road, leaving the Walker's behind and a wash of relief went through the cab of the vehicle. Harli looked over to the boy who whimpered and groaned painfully while his leg sat gnawed and mangled.

"Where are we going, Hershel?" Rick asked as Hershel had veered off the main road and off to a back road,

"We're taking a back road to make sure the Walkers don't follow us back to the farm and so we can find somewhere to cauterize the boy's leg before he bleeds out from you tearing it off that bar."

**o.o**

The fire flickered in Harli's eyes as she stared at the large blade of her knife as it waited to heat it up. The boy lied on the ground, whimpering, and Hershel was rummaging around in his truck for a spare set of medical supplies. Rick and Glenn went out on patrol to make sure the area was safe to inhabit until they were able to get back to the farm. Harli looked over at the poor boy, sweat dripping of his face from sheer pain, fatigue, and winces of agony straining through his nerves. She remembered when Rick and Glenn had saved her and the pain of that stick in her arm was so unbearable she had passed out.

She heard footsteps and soon saw Rick and Glenn's faces lit up from the fire as they approached. Harli got to her feet quickly, "Any problems?"

"Not that we saw, we left most of those Walker's behind. How's the boy?"

"He's holding up… or trying to, at least."

"I found some old bandages. It's going to have to work for now." Hershel came up behind them, a small roll of bandages occupying his hands. He looked over to Harli,

"When I'm doin' this I want you to keep him talkin'. Ask him questions; talkin' to him will help keep his mind off the matter. As for Rick, hold him down when needed and Glenn, you're going to have to help me with the wound in clamping it so I can get a good clean cauterization until I am able to operate." The group turned back to the boy lying on the ground and Harli noticed her knife was beginning to get to get red hot. She knelt down next to him, and with a soft smile, began to talk with him,

"So what's your name, kid?" His rushed his eyes open and they held both pain and fear,

"R-Randal…"

"Hi Randal, my name's Harli. Do you have any family?"

"No… my mom and sister were killed."

"I'm sorry to hear that and I'm sorry for all this pain you're going through. I know how you feel right now." He only stared up at her, having a hard time speaking through the fatigue of his body. Harli stared down at him, "A really big, jagged stick went through my shoulder and it hurt so bad I passed out. I admire your willpower to stay conscious."

"Harli," She looked over and saw Hershel brandishing her knife and readying for the cauterization. Harli nodded and looked down,

"This is going to hurt, but you have to be strong so you can keep your leg."

"What're they going to-" Glenn grabbed Randal's leg and squeezed the skin together quickly and before he could yell out in pain, Harli cupped her hand over his mouth and Rick held the boy down as he began to struggle. Hershel brought the side of the knife down and the skin simmered and sizzled under its touch. Harli felt the vibration of his screaming under her hand as the steam of the burning skin rose into the air, making Harli turned her head to avoid the atrocious smell.

"There… it's finished…" Hershel stood up and wiped the knife with a wet cloth to rid of the skin still burning on the blade. Harli sighed and looked down, seeing the boys eyes closed and all signs of struggle diminishing. She removed her hands from his mouth and his head fell to the side,

"Looks like he passed out." Glenn stared down at him, shotgun in hand. Rick walked up behind Harli, tossing her a red cloth,

"Here, wrap this around his face so if he wakes up he won't know where we are or where we're going."


	18. Chapter 18

Soft humming took over the cab of the truck, the taunting view of the sun just breaking over the horizon amongst the mountains. There were no voices exchanging words through the hectic air, only soft lunging from the Chevy as it hit rivets and potholes in the road. Rick looked over his shoulder at the three individuals in the back, seeing that Randal had passed out, as well as Harli, and Glenn barely holding onto his consciousness. He looked back through the windshield, seeing that the truck was back on a road of familiarity, glancing over at Hershel, his face solemn and steady. Rick rubbed his face and sighed to himself softly, his eyes heavy from staying up most of the night to watch over the others,

"How do you think the group is going to handle this situation, bringin' an outsider back to the farm without their knowing?" Rick looked over at Hershel as he continued to stare at the road ahead of him, the older man's hands resting in his lap. Rick looked back out the windshield while turning down a dirt road,

"I'll deal with them. You won't have to worry much' bout that. We'll sit down for a meeting and figure somethin' out. For now I think we should just worry about getting back and getting cleaned up, we're all pretty exhausted." Hershel's hands readjusted in his lap and clasped together, gripping them hard and leaning forward, focusing on the road ahead as they were nearing the farm. Glenn took notice to seeing it off in the distance, turning his head and reaching over the passed out Randal, gripping Harli's shoulder and shaking her softly,

"Hey! Hey Harli, wake up!" Her head wriggled back and forth before she jolted awake, looking around and then fixing her eyes on Glenn, who smiled softly, "Don't stab me." He leaned back in his seat and dipped his head backwards, yanking off his hat and rubbing his forehead tiredly. Harli ran a hand through her matted hair, ignoring the pain of her head as she yanked her fingers through the tangles. Her hand slowly trailed down to her neck, rubbing the bandage wound as it throbbed softly, letting her know that it was trying to heal itself. Harli's tired, green eyes looked out the window, seeing the farm as Rick had sped into the long driveway, wanting to get home already.

Harli cracked open the cab window, feeling the cool breeze of the morning air hit her skin and sending shivers crawling up her spine in sensuality. Her hair blew from her face, her eyes narrowing when she saw the group all beginning to crowd out in front of the farmhouse upon the trucks appearance. She and Glenn exchanged quick glances before they each leaned over the back of the seat, grabbing their belongings and being careful not to disturb Randal in the process.

The Chevy came to a winding halt as dust rose up behind them, being taken away by the wind within moments of the impact. Rick was the first to open his door, stepping out as Lori and Carl ran to him, embracing him in a family hug. Harli stepped out, her shotgun in one hand and a bag in the other as she tossed the strap over her shoulder. Maggie ran to Glenn and embraced him in a hug as well; passing Hershel as he glanced at his daughter, then began to roll his sleeves up,

"Patricia, ready the shed for surgery." At those words, all eyes turned to Harli as they stared at her clothing, stained in blood from her chest to her knees. She stopped, cocking her hip and staring at them, her face exhausted and slightly annoyed by their stereotyping as she pouted,

"It's not for me." She said plainly, looking down and rolling her eyes halfway before moving past them. Daryl watched her movements, seeing that she didn't bother to look up at him or acknowledge his existence. She made it to the porch and threw her guns down back in the bag and disappeared into the house without another word. His eyes narrowed slightly at her odd behavior and his body moved to go after her, but T-Dog's confused face flooded his ears,

"Who the hell is that?" He pointed at the truck and everyone's gaze followed to none other than Randal, still passed out in the backseat. Glenn looked to everyone, hands in his pocket casually,

"That's Randal."

Harli moved all the way through the house and up the stairs, her legs moving lazily on the steps as she finally reached the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and leaned against the sink, staring at her disheveled self in the mirror. Her wavy brown hair was in shambles, her green eyes were dreary and baggy from fatigue, and her neck grew red with inflammation. Harli was unable to have taken her antibiotics the past couple of days due to all the stress and hectic events that had taken over the group.

She slowly stripped her clothes off, peeling the bloody cloth from her skin as it desperately attempted to cling to her. Dropping the clothes to the ground, she examined the chaffed blood on her skin that had seeped through the cloth, remembering how she had to hold Randal down and all the blood that managed to stain her in the process.

Clamping her hands on her arms from the sudden cold of the bathroom, she walked towards the shower and grabbed the handle, turning the water on high heat. Goosebumps gathered on her skin when she felt the hot steam of the shower begin to crowd in the small room. She stepped into the tub, closed the curtain, and leaned into the fiery hot water. She took a large sigh of relief and dipped her head under the cascade of burning water, her headache and fatigue seeming to vanish as her muscles began to relax themselves. She somewhat opened her eyes, the water careening off her eyelashes as she moved her hair back, feeling the water dousing her scalp. She looked down, seeing the blood, sweat, and dirt helplessly swirling down the drain and disappearing for good. As if she was a snake that shed her skin, the feeling of being clean began to feel euphoric.

**o.o**

_Harli ran through the woods, her eyes darting back and forth frantically as she tried to find her way through the mangled trees. She didn't know exactly who she was running from, but her fear stricken mind didn't bother to figure it out, she just needed to get out of danger._

_With no weapons anywhere in sight, not her shotgun, pistol, or knife, she burst through a set of bushes, stopping and looking about. A cold sweat broke over her forehead when the fog around her began to thicken in the air, her visibility strained. With a dry swallow, she took a deep breath and barked out,_

"_Rick!? Lori!? Glenn!? Daryl!? Where is everyone!?" Her voice ricocheted through the trees and her ears heard it echoing until it disappeared. Running a hand through her hair, she heard a large snap erupt behind her loudly. Jumping, she yanked her body around to face the sound, her green eyes trying to gather onto whatever object she could through the fog. Hearing the snap once again, accompanied by a grievous moan, she backed away quickly and wheeled around on her heel, taking off in a dead sprint once again. _

_Her legs seemed lifeless as they began to move on their own, turning her in directions through the thick fog in which she did not want to go. Her lungs began to over work themselves and her chest throbbed with fatigue, but she would not stop, only move forward. _

_Jumping over a log, she heard a rustle of leaves and footsteps along with hers. Just as she went to look at what the unknown being would have been, her body came to an abrupt halt as she ran into something, or more specifically, someone. _

_She landed on her back, sliding through the leaves and groaning while quickly rubbing her head. Realizing the type of position she was in, she leaned up and crawled backwards, staring at the body in front of her. She heard a groan come from the body and a hand lift up to stroke its head in the same manner she had. Her eyes stricken with fear, she couldn't move as the body lifted itself from the ground, leaves and dirt dripping off its clothes in the process._

_Harli's eyes widened and her lips parted slightly at the familiar man's face, his dirty black hair shaggy and his deep brown eyes mimicking the hysteria in hers. "Watson…?"_

"_Harli?"_

Harli could hear soft knocking in her head as it disturbed her blissful silence. Her eyebrows knitted together as she groaned in her throat, feeling her body warm, but her limbs cold. She tossed her head to the side and leaned against something hard,

"_Harli, are you in there?" _A few more knocks ensued and something loose began to jiggle as if it were a doorknob.

Harli's eyes then opened and she quickly gathered her surroundings, noticing that she was still in the bathroom and realized she had passed out on the floor when she had gotten out. Hearing the doorknob jiggle once again, she quickly got to her feet and reinforced the towel around her body, walking to the door and unlocking it.

"Maggie?" She opened the door, seeing Maggie staring at her with her green doe eyes. Harli took a deep breath, her wet hair sticking to her face,

"Are you alright? You've been there an awful long time." Maggie asked with a bit of concern, watching Harli put her hand on her forehead,

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Uh, how long was I in here exactly?"

"About an hour since you last walked into the house. Enjoy the shower?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to get all that blood off of me." Looking back in the bathroom, Harli groaned and rubbed her head, sighing to herself. Maggie stared at her curiously,

"What's the matter?"

"I forgot to get a fresh change of clothes before I came up here. I guess I was just so out of it I forgot…"

"Don't worry, I'll go grab you a fresh change of clothes. You can have some of mine." Before Harli could reply with gratitude, Maggie was already walking down the hallway towards her bedroom to retrieve clothing.

After a few minutes, Harli had walked downstairs from the bathroom, feeling refreshed, but still a bit tired. She wore her boots along with shaggy blue jeans with a couple holes in the knees from hard work over the years and a dark grey long sleeve clasped on her chest in which she lazily rolled the sleeves halfway up her arms. Maggie helped bandage her neck back up as Harli wondered what had happened while she was passed out, "Anything happen while I was out?"

"The rest of the group is still trying to figure out what to do with Randal. My dad stitched his leg back up and said that he won't be able to walk for a week or so. Rick and Shane are having their conflicts with the situation again and they're trying to figure out what to do with him."

"So, they're not going to let him stay?"

"No, they believe he's too much of a threat." Maggie shook her head and Harli stood up, lookin out the window and seeing the many group members meandering around camp while they tried to find things to keep them occupied. She looked back down at Maggie,

"Thanks for the clothes."

"No problem, it's the least I could do for bringing back my dad."

"Maggie!" Hershel walked in from the kitchen, wiping his hands as clean as possible with a small towel. Stopping when seeing the two girls sitting next to each other, he nodded his head, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you two were conversin'. I'll come back later…"

"It's okay Hershel; I was just getting ready to leave, actually."

"No wait, I want you here for this, too." Maggie and Harli exchanged glances while the older man leaned on the table with his hand, rubbing his other along his face, "This Randal fella, he needs tendin' to on a daily basis. I mean food, water, and medical care. I really don't trust the others with this task, so I was hopin' that one of you would be able to do it." Maggie rubbed her head and looked at the ground,

"I don't know daddy. Especially with the conflicts of this guy in the group, I just don't know if I could do it. I'm more concerned about safety at this point."

"I'll do it." The two Greene's looked over at Harli, who stood with her arms crossed while staring back at them, "If no one else will do it, I will. I mean, we can't just let him die in there."

"Well alright… I'm glad to hear someone will do that because I'm not going to be able to do it when it's supposed to be done. Thank you."

"Of course, if anything else needs to be done, let me know."

"I will." Hershel nodded and Harli turned, walking out the front door while Hershel and Maggie retreated into the kitchen. Not seeing Rick or Lori anywhere, Harli walked down the steps and onto the gravel, moving towards camp where she saw Carol doing laundry and Dale sitting atop the Winnebago as a scout. She heard hasty footsteps and turned, seeing Carl jogging towards her with a stick in his hand, his sheriff hat propped on his head,

"Hey Harli, welcome back."

"Hey Carl, how you feelin'?"

"Better today. What about you? You didn't look so good when you showed up." The two walked towards the camp, Carl kicking about stones in front of him that happened to feel the wrath of his boot,

"I'm better now. Where'd your dad go?"

"He and my mom went to change in the tent. They're both really tired."

"I don't blame them."

"Carl!" The two turned, seeing Lori stepping out of the tent in new clothing as she zipped up the door, leaving Rick to rest. She walked over to them, her hands in her pockets and looked down at Carl, "Hey, your dad needs to talk to you."

"Alright." He nodded up at his mother and quickly moved over towards their tent, the two women watching as he walked away. Lori looked back at her, Harli glancing up at the bandage on her forehead,

"Rick told me what happened, about those men. Thank you for helping out and making sure everyone got home safe." Lori expressed her gratitude and Harli paused for a moment before looked out into the golden fields, feeling the cool air radiate around her skin. She looked back at Lori, the wind catching both the women's dark brown hair,

"I'm done being a weak link in this group. I want to show everyone I'm more capable to do things than they think and stop being so helpless." Harli's voice was a bit monotone and Lori stared at her as Harli looked back into her blue eyes, "I will do anything to protect you guys. You're all like family to me now, so you shouldn't be thanking me like an outsider, it should be expected of me." Lori couldn't help but smile at her determination, nodding and looking down, kicking rocks about her feet,

"That makes me very glad to hear that coming from you. A lot of the others wouldn't be able to say they'd sacrifice themselves for each other or put their life on the line to make sure we all survive. For that, I'm happy to know we have people like you in our group." Harli smiled and nodded at the queen bee,

"Of course. I'm gonna go help Carol with some laundry, wanna come?"

"No, I'm gonna go back to Rick and get a little bit of rest, too. You should try to take it easy, you had a long trip, too." The two women turned away from each other and Harli went towards the Winnebago while Lori retreated to her tent. Stopping for a moment, Lori looked over her shoulder with a smile,

"Daryl moved way over there! I know you're going to ask about him eventually." Harli turned, seeing Lori pointing off towards the edge of the forest. Her green eyes trailed her fingers path, staring off into the distance while narrowing her eyes and seeing a small camp next to a large pillar-like stone monument. She looked back to Lori, but found she had already gone back inside the tent.

**o.o**

Darkness enveloped the farm without any struggle or hassles with the days end. Everyone seemed peaceful in their minds and exchanged only friendly words with each other as the dinner was prepared. The fire flickered tamely as the group continued their feast amongst the small edge of light the fire sustained.

Harli smiled at a comment Glenn had made, picking at her food greedily, her stomach throbbing for her to eat more and more. Having been locked in the bar the entire night before, as well as having taken care of Randal, she barely had the time to even think about food. But now, trying to be a sole member of the group with everything she had, the means of survival also meant eating and keeping up her strength.

She glanced around the campsite, noticing that Daryl was nowhere to be seen.

Staring over to the side, she saw the faint firelight of Daryl's campsite off in the distance. She finished chewing her food and swallowed it, staring down at her plate with a small sigh. She had realized that not once today, since Lori had mentioned him, did Daryl go through her mind like he usually had.

"Hey Harli, will you pass me that spatula?" T-Dog asked while politely pointing his finger at the object in front of her. Harli jolted while being knocked out of her thoughts, searching for the spatula and handing it to him, "Thank you,"

"No problem."

Slowly, a couple hours passed by and the group, one by one, began to retire to their tents as the night began to draw out. Harli was putting dishes in the dirty bin and throwing away unwanted scraps that no one cared for. Cleaning up the rest of camp, and her own body being tired from the long day, she rubbed her head and sighed, staring down at the fire. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the fire off in the distance growing dim by the minute. Biting down on her lower lip, her feet swung around on their heels as she faced the far tree line, strutting off into the darkness as she pursued the light.

His figure began to come into view as she approached the campsite, his back to her and very still, only picking at the fire every now and then with a stick. She saw a few things hanging from a line above his motorcycle, trying to make out what all the hanging objects could possibly be. Returning her attention to Daryl's shadowy figure, Harli finally found herself in his company, "What're you doing all the way out here by yourself?"

He looked over his shoulder at her sudden appearance, seeming a bit startled that she had abruptly ascended from the shadows. Recovering quickly, he whipped his head back around at the fire, "What the hell you want?" His raspy voice spit back as Harli moved around him to the other side of the fire. His icy blue eyes glanced up at her, then back down at the fire as his lips twitched while he chewed on his lip. Harli tilted her head slightly,

"Just wanted to check up on you… I didn't think you were going to move all the way out here." She had noticed he had moved his camp during her time of absence, wondering if it was partially her doing. Daryl only huffed and threw his stick down at the fire, feeling somewhat uncomfortable under her green-eyed gaze. "What's wrong? You seem a bit tense, or mad for that matter."

Daryl scoffed and shook his head, his mouth turning into a dirty scowl. She sat down across from him, clasping her hands together when he said nothing to her. "Is it because of what happened yesterday?" His eyes found hers and she was surprised to see the sudden anger embellish them as he tore himself from where he was sitting,

"God damn you and the rest of you women comin' out here talkin' like you know everything! I came out here to get away from you people! You're all like a bunch of helpless little fire ants following after a queen that's goin' to run you into the grave!" Harli's hands had unclasped and her legs moved her up to standing position as she continued to stare at him, the light of the dim fire only lighting their faces. He stared over at her, his eyes narrowed, "What? Got nothin' to say to me this time brain doctor? Ya'll always spit words out me like you know shit, but can't back yourself up this time?"

"It's not that it's just… why are you saying things like that?" She asked a bit confused and Daryl shook his head with an abrupt scoff,

"You people take no responsibility for anything you do! I'm the one who went lookin' for that girl everyday while you all sat around and played house like there was nothin' in this world to care for! I almost died lookin' for the damn girl and the whole god damn time she was a brainless dud sittin' in that barn! I can survive on my own, I don't need any of ya'll!"

"Daryl, don't say that. You know how far you've come as a person in our group? You know how respected and depended upon you are now-!?"

"I don't want any dependence by you people because that dependence is goin' to get my ass killed! If I was gone, Rick and Shane, all ya'll would be walkin' round as one of those things or six feet under in the grave!" Harli could feel his anger and frustration radiating off his body as she noticed the fire below them was beginning to burn brighter, exposing the expression that riddled across his face,

"And you… you're the worst of them all! Struttin' 'round like you know everything and bein' just as helpless, havin' your ass saved too many times! You tryin' to get in my head and tryin' to make me into a better person, it ain't gonna work no matter how many times you try it! I am who I am!" His words struck her ears violently and her green eyes flickered dully in the fire light. He breathed heavily, his blood pressure skyrocketing as he threw his arm out towards her,

"Get the hell outta here! I don't even wanna be lookin' at you anymore. You're so pathetic!" He turned to walk away when Harli didn't move from her spot. Shaking his head, he walked off to the darkness and Harli quickly pursued him, jumping in front of him to make him stop,

"I'm not leaving!" He stopped and his blue eyes stared down at her determined face, "You can sit here and say all you want to me, that you don't care about this group or want any part of it! If you hate us all so much then why don't you just leave!? No one is stopping you Daryl! You can tell me how useless and pathetic you think I am, I really don't care because I already know it! I half wish that Rick and Glenn wouldn't have found me so I wouldn't just be another big inconvenience! I'm not going to sit here and listen to how you're this big macho man that can take care of himself when your anger is the reason why you're so weak!"

Daryl threw out his hands and shoved Harli so hard she stumbled backwards and fell to the ground with a thud. Having a hard time on grasping the situation, Harli felt the cold grass under her skin and looked up seeing Daryl standing over her, an unreadable expression on his face. He threw his hand up, pointing back to the camp by the Winnebago, "Get the hell out of here! Go on!"

Without thinking, her body moved of its own accord and she quickly got to her feet, running off into the darkness. Her legs bounded widely as she glided through the field, making way back towards the campsite in the utmost of haste. Tears began to run down from her eyes, desperately clasping onto her cheeks while their counterparts fell off her chin in failure.

Her toe caught the edge of an unfamiliar object in the dark and her body flung back to the ground, the long grass catching most of her weight and trying not to hurt her. Harli rested her forehead against the soft grass, shivering and panting to try and catch her breath. She pounded the ground with her fist and gripped a handful of grass in the other, continuing to feel Daryl's sharp hands on her shoulders.

Sighing sharply, she got to her knees and lifted herself to her feet, rubbing her head and walking back towards her tent. She meandered slowly, glancing over her shoulder, seeing that Daryl was not in his campsite anymore. Her eyes lowered and her head returned forward as she wandered back to her tent in defeat.


	19. Chapter 19

Harli lied in her tent, staring at the dark green nylon ceiling that waved from a breeze softly above her head. Slowly, the nights were growing colder and colder under each day. The cool air of the morning bit harshly at Harli's naked arms and legs, raising goose bumps above her bones to signal there was no warmth. She didn't care, her face was solemn and her mind was elsewhere in the events of the couple nights before, haunting her over and over.

Closing her eyes, she rolled over on her side, hearing the voices of her fellow campmates meandering about the camp. Harli noticed that the sun was higher up in the sky, knowing that it was later on in the morning, meaning that she had slept in. Lazily lifting her torso, she threw her hair up in a messy ponytail, her bangs depressingly hanging in her face as she slipped on her pants and boots.

Stepping out of her tent, she looked around, noticing that Shane's car was gone, as well as both him and Rick. She looked up at the top of the Winnebago and was a bit surprised that Dale didn't occupy the rooftop with his trusty rifle,

"Well, it's about time you woke up." Glenn's voice echoed through her ears and she turned, seeing him walking up with a box of fruit and eggs. He knelt down on the ground with the boxes, "I didn't think you were in your tent at first, thought you ran off again this morning." Still no response from her, Glenn looked up, seeing her face disturbed as she stared off into the forest. Glenn's eyebrows knitted together and he stood up, staring at her confusingly,

"What's wrong with you? Get a crappy night of sleep? Or are you looking for Daryl again?" He glanced over her shoulder to where she was looking, but it was not in the direction of the group member's far off campsite. He looked back at her, seeing the blank look in her eyes,

"No. I'll never look for him again…" She mumbled more to herself than for Glenn's ears. He raised an eyebrow,

"What?" Harli only glanced at him before walked off towards the Winnebago, stepping in and searching for the Gerber bag. Finding it under the table, just below the gun bag on the seat, she yanked it out and threw it on the wooden slab. She searched along the handheld weapons until her hand traced over her hatchet. She pulled it out and ran her thumb over the blade, checking its lethalness before securing it her belt. She rolled up the bag and threw it back down under the table without care.

Turning, she met the eyes of Dale as he stepped into the Winnebago, slightly surprised to see her standing there. He looked over his shoulder and then stepped fully into the RV, the door shutting annoyingly behind him, "Hey there, though you ran off again this morning."

"No. just came in to get my hatchet." She reassured and he moved towards the gun bag while unzipping it, rummaging around for whatever. Harli stared down at him solemnly as he watched his hands pull out her shotgun. She looked back up into his eyes and he moved it towards her,

"Here, why don't you come sit watch with me for a bit? It kind gets boring by myself."

"Yeah, sure." Harli grabbed the stock of her gun and held it, checking to see if it was loaded. Alas, it was.

She sat atop the Winnebago, feeling the soft breeze tap her skin as she sat in a lawn chair Dale threw up to her. Crawling up the ladder, Dale's rump met with his chair as he rested his rifle on his shoulder, staring about the campsite and off around the perimeter of the farm, verifying his post. He took a deep breath, taking in the air around him, "Haven't seen you much around in the last couple of days, you're always out and about."

Harli didn't reply for a few seconds, looking off into the trees, seeing nothing but abyssal wasteland. She looked down, toying with a piece of string on the pants that Maggie had lent days before, "Been taking care of Randal and just trying to help out around camp." She mumbled and Dale looked down to her preoccupied with her pant leg,

"Hershel put you in charge of his care?" Harli nodded, tucking a bang behind her ear as she continued to play with her pant leg. Dale shifted in his seat, "Well, be careful around him. He's an outsider."

"What's he going to do? He's tied up in the barn with a blindfold on. He can't even see me." Her tone was dark, making Dale's eyebrows knit together in confusion as he stared over at her,

"Is there anything wrong? You're not really acting yourself."

"Yeah Dale, I'm fine, just leave it at that, alright?" She looked over at him, confirming her demands by staring at him hard. He nodded and looked back out at the fields, scanning his surroundings through his thick set of eyebrows once more. Harli heard something smack down on a table and looked down at the small campsite, seeing that Glenn and T-Dog were playing cards with bored expressions.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with Daryl, would it?" So persistent Dale was being. It made Harli slightly annoyed that every time something was wrong with her everyone promptly blamed Daryl. Without a word, she only kept her eyes on Glenn and T-Dog as Dale continued to speak, "I'm only saying that because he seems like he's extra angry about God knows what. Like uh… stompin' around like Godzilla or something, snappin' at everyone who talks to him."

He looked over at her, seeing the softly disturbed look on her face as she depressingly hung her head, her face leaning on her hand. "Hm… so something did happen."

"It's a long story, Dale, so please keep your nose out of it." Annoyingly, she sighed and stuck the butt of her gun on the top of the Winnebago to help lift herself to her feet. Looking about, she saw Andrea walking back from the barn towards the farmhouse. She looked down, "I should probably go deal with Randal; it's already late enough in the morning."

"Randal's not here anymore."

"What do you mean?" She looked over at Dale confusingly and his eyebrows rose while motioning with his hand,

"Where do you think Rick and Shane went? They're taking him out about eighteen miles and dropping him off with a canteen of water and bidding good luck. We all decided this a few days ago." Thinking back to when she passed out in the bathroom, Harli had recalled the extended conversation she had with Maggie after their dinner.

She was knocked out of her thoughts when she heard screaming, her head, along with Dale's whipped towards the farmhouse, seeing Andrea running towards the house just as Maggie burst through the door, Lori standing behind her. Harli moved towards the ladder and began to crawl down,

"Wonder what's going on?"

"I'm about to find out." Pursuing towards the house, she heard Maggie shouting at Andrea, waving her hands about in gestures and Lori standing calmly behind her. The shouting seized and Andrea turned around, walking back towards the campsite.

The two exchanged glances before Andrea shoved past her, Harli's head turning back towards the farmhouse in curiosity, seeing the angry face of Maggie turning and stalking back into the house. Harli's eyebrows knitted as she stopped at the base of the stairs, "What's going on? I heard screaming." Lori sighed and leaned against the doorway, staring out at Andrea,

"It was Andrea's turn to watch Beth. I took the girl some food this morning, she didn't eat, so I took her food back to the kitchen a while later and noticed the knife was missing. Turns out the girl was suicidal."

"Was?"

"Andrea left her to decide whether or not she would really want to go through with it. Beth locked herself in the bathroom and broke the mirror. She cut her wrist; Hershel is stitching her up right now. But from what he can see now, she has a clear conscious." Lori was quick to explain and Harli nodded while staring up at Lori,

"Well I'm glad that things aren't too serious. With Rick and Shane out at the moment, we don't really have a whole lot of force to work with."

"Yeah… I hope they come back soon. I don't like them being out too late." She said more for herself than Harli's ears, and with that, she turned and walked back into the house to check up on Beth.

With a bored sigh, Harli turned back to the campsite, her mind dwindling about in her skull. With nothing to do around camp, she thought nothing more than to go out scouting. Getting fresh air, taking a walk, and just making sure there was no near threat to the camp. With her hatchet already secured in her belt, she walked back up towards the Winnebago, staring up at Dale, "I'm going to go out scouting so I'll be back in a couple hours." Dale stood up, walking to the edge and staring down at the green eyed girl,

"Are you going alone?" Harli rolled her eyes and nodded at Dale's obvious concern,

"Yes and I'll be fine by myself, so please don't worry about me too much." Harli turned and began to walk towards the trail, but she was soon stopped by Dale as he waved her shotgun at her,

"Just at least take your gun with you." Harli shook her head and continued to walk away,

"Rick says no guns. I have my hatchet anyways." Dale sighed to himself, setting her gun down softly, knowing that there was no way to convince her to take safety precautions.

As Harli walked down towards the path behind the barn, she heard footsteps coming from behind the old shack. Stopping quickly, Andrea almost ran into her as the two women stopped abruptly to stare at one another. Taking a breath, and still having an expression of anguish, Andrea looked to her, "Where are you going?"

"Out scouting." Harli moved past quickly, reaching the edge of the forest as the branches of trees threatened to tickle the side of the barn. Andrea turned around, staring Harli in the back,

"I want to go, too." Harli stopped, half wishing she hadn't had said '_Scouting'_. Andrea annoyed her to the core and having her attend the scouting trip would most surely result in an attitude of Harli's demeanor.

"I'd rather you not." Harli began stepping on the innocent grass below her feet, trying to shake off Andrea. Her ears deceived her as she heard Andrea's footsteps pursue her,

"I don't care, I'm still coming."

**o.o**

The cool air that radiated in the forest chilled Harli's skin. She was walking aimlessly through the trees, not really having a destination in mind. Every time she went into her mind to think, the process was interrupted by Andrea's footsteps close behind her. She had been following Harli liked a lost puppy since they had left the farm and the tense silence between them dwindled. The handle of Harli's hatchet softly bounced against her thigh,

"So where are we going exactly? Doesn't feel much like a scouting trip." Andrea stared through Harli's back, waiting for an answer, but none had escaped Harli's lips. Andrea sighed and rolled her eyes,

"Just looking around, Andrea. It's been too quiet at the farmhouse lately." Finally getting an answer, Andrea looked back to Harli, agreeing with her statement. Looking about in the trees for any sign of danger or movement, Andrea continued to engage in somewhat of a conversation,

"So, you were- well are- a psychologist. Where did you work before all this happened?" Harli's eyes darted through the green of the forest, trying to stay with the rugged path left by the deer,

"West Central prison. I worked there alongside a detective that worked his cases from there. I've dealt with a lot of messed up people."

"That makes two of us." The crunching of grass and wood below their feet echoed through their ears with each step they took. The path became too familiar as they crossed the creek on a broken down tree trunk, noticing the similarities it held during the search for Sophia, "This area, we're getting close to the highway."

"That's something we should avoid. Who knows how many Walkers have showed up on the pavement since the last time we've been there." Harli replied, stopping for a moment and looking around.

"Well, we won't have to worry much about that. We both know how to shoot."

"You have your gun?" Harli looked over at Andrea, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Andrea looked over at her, blue eyes meeting green,

"Of course, why wouldn't I?"

"Because Rick said no guns. But then again, you're not one for following the rules that he sets out." Harli accused and Andrea scoffed while glaring over at her, shaking her head with sass,

"You don't like me much, do you?" Harli turned and stared up at a tree, sighing mentally, and halfway looking over her shoulder,

"What makes you say that?" Harli's feet returned to stepping,

"Contradicting what I say and do, getting an attitude with me during times of disorder, assuming I'm a bad person because I don't agree with Rick's rules. He may be the leader of our group and trying to keep us alive, but that doesn't mean he owns us all. What makes you a perfect angel anyways?" Harli continued to walk away from Andrea, not really making an attempt to keep in conversation with her. Making her grit her teeth, Andrea pursued after her and latched onto her shoulder,

"Don't ignore me!" Harli violently tore her skin from Andrea's grasp, facing her with an irate expression as she hissed through her teeth,

"Don't touch me. I don't have to answer to you."

"Look at sweet, little, innocent Harli spitting venom out of her mouth more potent than a snake. I wish everyone could see how two faced you are the way I'm seeing it right now." Andrea couldn't help but smile and her newly found information. Harli's hateful eyes glared at Andrea as she walked towards her, arms crossed, "It amazes me how you can strut around camp, acting constructive and nice, trying to fit it. What have you really done to help this group, Harli? Please, humor me."

"I'm trying to keep this group together."

"Oh please! They have to save your ass every chance they get!" Harli stepped forward, the two women face to face with each other,

"At least I'm not useless with my weapon and didn't shoot Daryl out of my own stupidity and self-pride!"

"I'll have you know that I've been working on my shooting and something like that will never happen again. But then again, killing him would have been best at that point." Andrea's voice slithered with a harsh whisper, causing Harli's eyes to harden,

"I see the way you look at him, how you take him for granted and acting like the damsel in distress. Thing is, he doesn't want you, and he never will." Harli grabbed her by the shirt, but the two feuding women ended their dispute when they heard a chilling gargle, followed by a nasty snarl. The two looked over, seeing a Walker quickly stumbling towards them with its arms outstretched and mouth drooling, waiting to taste their warm flesh in its mouth.

The two jumped back from each other, equally shocked to see its sudden appearance. Their rambling had echoed to the ears of the infected, attracting too much attention to themselves. Quickly, Andrea yanked her pistol out of the back of her pants, aiming between its eyes. Harli took notice and motioned to stop her, "Andrea wait!"

The gunshot echoed through the trees as the Walker's movements seized, its body dropping to the ground with a prominent thud. The adrenaline that coursed through their veins made them pant. Andrea lowered her gun with a smile, turning her head towards Harli, "How's that for a good shot?" She asked cockily, amused at the shocked expression on Harli's face as she continued to stare at the dead Walker, thinking that her surprise was from the bullet hole in its head.

Harli sighed and ran a hand through her hair, staring over at Andrea. Shaking her head, she turned and began to walk back down the path they came. Andrea looked back at the Walker one last time before turning and pursuing after Harli. "We're not done talking." Andrea said from behind, but this time, Harli didn't bother to stop,

"No, I'm done talking to you. The last thing I need to do is lose my temper in this forest and attract more attention than you already have."

"What do you mean attention I've already drawn?" As if on cue, they heard crunching of stumbling feet making way through the forest. A chill went up Harli's spine and she turned, her eyes widening and lips parting as her adrenaline jumped through her heart and sprinted through her veins once again.

A small group of five Walkers descended upon them quicker than Harli had anticipated. She knew they were close to the highway, but not that close. Wheeling around on her heel, she quickly sprinted off towards the way they came, Andrea following close behind with her pistol gripped lazily in her hand.

Frantically, the two girls darted over the creek bed to safety on the other side. Harli stopped, looking over her shoulder to see the hungry Walker's still after them, the creek not slowing them down in the slightest. Turning she ran back towards Andrea, "We can't lead them back to the camp!" Andrea raised her gun again and stepped forward, only this time, Harli grabbed her wrist and diverted it quickly,

"You can't use your gun you'll attract more of them!"

"Well, what do you suggest we do!?" Andrea was quick to snap back at the brunette. Harli yanked her knife and hatchet from her belt,

"Use your knife!" Harli ran off towards the side, attracting the attention of a couple that followed after her, the rest keeping after Andrea. Turning, the two Walkers stretched their arms out to grab at Harli. She raised her leg and booted one in the chest, and as it fell to the ground, she raised her hatchet and quickly struck the other, cracking open its skull and cutting through its brain. With its last, living hisses, it fell to the ground in defeat.

Harli looked over, seeing that Andrea had taken care of one, struggling against using her trusted pistol and only using her small knife. Stabbing another through the eyeball, the Walker fell backwards and lurched from its last brain convulsions. Not paying attention, a Walker grabbed her from behind and tackled her to the ground with nothing but dead weight. She yelped out of shock and struggled against the walking corpse's weight, her knife just out of reach of her fingertips.

Harli quickly ran over to aid her rival; no one should be subjected to a death such as this. She shoved her foot against the Walker's body, sending it rolling across the ground with the blunt force of her boot. It struggled to recover quickly, but didn't need to, as Harli had gripped her hatchet hard, slamming its sharp blade into the head of the corpse.

Harli panted and looked down at Andrea, giving her one last glance before sheathing her knife, turning, and walking away.

**o.o**

The walk back to the farmhouse was strenuous and Harli didn't realize how long they had been gone until she saw the sun setting above the horizon. She could feel the cold eyes of Andrea watching her the entire time they were walking back and not one word was said between each other.

Finally coming out from behind the barn, they were home free and Harli's boots touched dirt, kicking about rocks as she stepped tiredly.

"I could have handled them myself; you shouldn't have to worry about me."

"Didn't look like it to me. You rely too much on that pistol of yours. What if you run out of ammo?" Harli replied in clarity that she didn't want to argue anymore. A headache began to form in her brain and she turned back to Andrea,

"It wouldn't have mattered. You should have just let me use my pistol to take them all down so we didn't have to worry about getting attacked any further."

"Oh really? Because last time I checked loud noises attract Walkers! Do you not get the concept!?"

"We could have out ran them back here for cover and if they would have followed us then at least we could've had others to have our backs! More firepower!"

"If you were smart enough, you would have just let me take down that one Walker without using your gun and we wouldn't have ended up in that mess. You really need to learn about self-control, it makes you look pathetic and unreliable." Harli's cheek burned when the echo of Andrea's hand meeting with her skin rang through her ears. Andrea pulled her hand back and stared at Harli with her burning blue eyes. Harli closed her eyes and gritted her teeth so hard she thought they would crack under her muscles pressure. Balling her hand, she threw her fist into Andrea's face bony, making her stumble back.

Andrea rubbed her cheek, feeling the sharp taste of blood roll over the taste buds on her tongue. She growled and dove at Harli, knocking her to the ground and feeling Harli's arms grab her tightly. The two women wrestled around in the dirt, each trying to gain dominance over the feuding situation. Shoving her fist into Harli's cheek, the green eyed girl hesitated for a moment, but then gritted her teeth and grabbed Andrea's arms. During their struggle and wrestling, Andrea's gun fell out of her holster and slammed against the ground, the hair-like trigger being slammed against a rock on the ground. The gunshot echoed through the air, but the two girls ignored its projectile and kept their fangs bared at each other.

Andrea rammed her fist into Harli's face once again, Harli's jaw locking and beginning to throb from the heaviness of her hit. Spitting blood in her face, Harli yanked forward and thrust her forehead into Andrea's. Knocking Andrea on her back, Harli stumbled to get up and wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. Pulling her knife from its sheath, she jumped on Andrea's stomach and went to put her knife to her throat, but Andrea had yanked her knife out as well and went to stab Harli. Harli grabbed Andrea's wrist at the last moment and Harli narrowed her eyes at the blonde.

The two girls struggled against each other's strengths, Andrea's hand gripping Harli's wrist to keep her knife from piercing her skin and Harli doing the same as well. Andrea's blue eyes glared into Harli's determined green orbs, seeing an odd, killing intent glistening in them.

Harli gritted her teeth harder when she felt her grip on Andrea's wrist beginning to falter and the sharp blade moved towards her thigh, meeting with her pant leg. Slowly, Harli could feel it cutting through the jeans and a surge of pain went through her body as she felt the blade sliding itself into her leg. Closing her eyes and letting out a quick gasp of pain, she wasn't going to let it go in any further as her grip began to tighten with every force she had.

"Harli! Andrea! Stop it!"

"What're you guys doing!?"

A rush of footsteps barreled towards them, but the two girls continued to glower at each other, determined to slash one another's throats. Harli felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist as she was hoisted off, but her eyes still continued to stare at Andrea as Dale and Glenn yanked her to her feet. Harli flailed about to get out of the strong pair of arms that kept her from attacking once again, "Let go of me god dammit!"

She cursed, noticing that she was being carried away from the situation, as well as Andrea as Dale began to drag her back to camp. Harli growled and felt the arms let up, and taking the opportunity, she thrust all her weight and shoved her arms against the body, finally feeling freedom as her feet touched the ground.

Panting, she choked saliva down her dry throat, staring into the rugged blue eyes of none other than Daryl. Ignoring the surging pain in her leg, she saw the irritation and confusion in his eyes, "What the hell you think you're doin' attackin' one of our own!?" He shouted irately. Harli panted and limp on her leg, turning to face him fully,

"Don't sit here and talk to me like I'm some sort of child! I'm done with everyone's shit around here, especially yours, Daryl!"

"You better watch that venom you're spittin' there girl!"

"Or what? You gonna hit me this time?" Daryl's eyes narrowed and a scowl formed on his face, seeing the deadly intent in her eye. It was very odd for him to see such hostility in her demeanor, not ever thinking that a small and friendly creature would be capable of such a thing. Grinding his teeth together as his anger began to boil under his skin, Harli scoffed and rubbed her head, her eyes beginning to hurt as she turned and limped away, the wound in her leg throbbing.

Daryl ran his hands through his hair, growling and shoving them back down to his sides, stalking back off towards the campsite. Admitting his wrongs to her was going to definitely be more difficult than he expected. But with this sudden change in her character, he didn't know how to go about it and it threw him off balance. She was so easy to talk to, so calm and wise, but now it was just like dealing with himself.


	20. Chapter 20

The next morning, Harli walked about the camp, a pout strung on her face and her eyes dull in color. She felt sickly and the cut from Andrea's knife that dwelled on her leg throbbed with anger. Rummaging through the Winnebago, and trying to avoid all contact with the rest of the group as possible, she found the first aid kit.

Not wanting to go to Hershel for help, she found a log far off on the property where she could keep to herself while binding her wound. Sitting down, she pulled out the rubbing alcohol, gauze, and an ace bandage to help tie things off. She pried apart the ripped jeans, exposing the crusty wound to the air, feeling refreshed as the cool breeze caressed the burning skin. To her luck, though, the wound was not deep and she was able to stop Andrea's knife before it had done too much damage.

Popping off the cap of the rubbing alcohol, she poured some on a gauze pad and then, biting down on her lip, her hand shook as she began to disperse the liquid on her skin. The rubbing alcohol entered the wound, eating away the unwanted bacteria before infection could occur. As fast as lightning, the pain surged through her body and Harli gasped and gritted her teeth, hissing in pain and balling her hand into a fist. Grabbing the soaked gauze pad, she hesitantly rubbed away the scabbed blood, the pain becoming more erratic. Panting, she tightened the cap on the alcohol and threw it to the ground, gripping her leg to try and rid the pain.

It began to subside, becoming numb, and Harli let out a breath of relief. Grabbing a few strips of gauze, she began to wrap her leg, both the skin and pants with each other. She looked out at the campsite, seeing that Rick and Lori had woken up, as well as a couple others.

Rick and Shane returned with Randal, alive, the night before. Randal knew who the Greene's were and exactly where the farmhouse was. So taking safety precautions for the entire group, they brought Randal back and locked him in the shed for further debate of his fate.

Harli ran a hand through her hair and sighed, looking up at the sky. She winced slightly from the sharp pains from her leg, but continued to stare at the large, cloudy sky above her. Remembering yesterday's events, and with her mind clouded with stress lately, she had forgotten she had a bow. With that bow, yesterday's situation would have been more mediated in the forest.

Harli quickly turned to the _'What If?'_. What if the Walker hadn't shown up and she and Andrea had gotten in a fight right there in the forest? With no interruptions from the rest of their group, it most had surely would've been a blood bath, and if Harli didn't get the pistol away from Andrea, she would have had a bullet in her blood. She knew that if the time came, the two women would have no hesitations killing each other.

Then Daryl flickered in her mind.

The slight concern on his face when she saw him when anger boiled in her veins just at the sight of him. She didn't know exactly why, but it hurt for her to look at him and see the bipolar behavior he was giving off. First, he was very angry and distant from the group, not caring what happened at that point in time and not wanting any affiliation with anyone, especially Harli. But now, his demeanor was slightly changing, like he cared all of a sudden, not wanting anyone to be messed with. All this began to happen after Randal showed up.

She sighed and bowed her head between her shoulders, closing her eyes as she felt a headache beginning to form from thinking too much. Her mind was so jumbled and her mentality was dwindling in the balance. She was trying so hard to help everyone else, trying to keep everyone's mind sane for the sake of the group, and now slowly, along with everyone else, her mind was wasting away.

Losing her temper was something she hadn't done in years and yesterday was the first time she had actually stood up for herself. She was a lump most of the time, letting people walk all over her because she was so shy and feeble, but now, this world was beginning to mold her as an entire new woman. She was someone who was careless, reckless, and cold; someone who Harli did not want to become. She didn't want to go back to her old ways, but her new ways were proving fatal to both her mentality and position in the group.

She had to get her mind straight before she lost control and losing control was something she had only done once. She learned her lesson after her father laid his fists mercilessly on her and never again would she try to stand up to him after that.

Knocked from her thoughts, she heard Rick's voice enter her ears.

"Now what're you out here all by your lonesome for?" Her head flicked around her shoulder as she saw him approach. Turning her head back, she put all the medical supplies back in the first aid kit as quickly as possible. He stopped next to her, staring down, "You alright? Daryl told me you gotta pretty nasty cut on your leg from yesterday."

"Yeah. But I took care of it, no big deal." Harli stood up and he glanced down at her leg, seeing the bandage, and then back up at her, putting his hands on his hips,

"Care to tell me why exactly you and Andrea got into it yesterday? As soon as Shane and I pulled up the whole campsite was in a frantic."

"It was just a stupid argument that escalated into a fight. I guess we were both tired from being attacked by the Walkers-"

"Wait, wait, wait… you two were attacked by Walkers?" Rick interrupted and Harli looked at him like it was no big deal, nodding slightly,

"We went out scouting and a small horde found us. Don't get so worried now; we're alive, aren't we?"

"You can't tell me to get worried about somethin' like that when we can't afford to be losing more people." Harli pouted and sighed to herself, chewing on the inside of her lip while looking down at the first aid kit. Rick sighed internally as well, "I felt the tense air between you and Andrea before. You two may have some opposition towards each other, but you have to put that aside to help this group."

"I know, Rick… I don't know what's up with me lately… but I'm going to try and make things right. I know we have a lot going on right now." Rick nodded and turned his head over his shoulder,

"We're gonna be talkin' bout what we're gonna be doin' with Randal as soon as everyone gets up and ready. So in the meantime, why don't you go help Lori with breakfast? Daryl went to interrogate Randal, so for now, we don't have a situation to meet upon." He nodded towards the campsite out in the distance. Harli gathered her things and followed him back to the campsite, tossing them in her tent as she passed by. Swiping her hands together to rid themselves of dust, she looked down at Lori,

"What needs to be done?" Lori looked up at her, then back down, handing her a basket of eggs and a small bucket of milk,

"Scramble these eggs while I wash the pans and then we'll get breakfast up and going."

**o.o**

"Alright everyone, gather round now." Rick asked politely, his hands on his hips as he watched the group beginning to circle around him. Lori poured coffee and looked up at her husband,

"So whatcha gonna do? Ya'll feel better bout the plan?"

"Is there even a plan?" Andrea asked while walking around her, eyeballing Harli as she walked by, Harli ignoring her gaze as she stared upon Rick,

"Are we keeping him here?" Glenn asked a bit hesitantly. Rick looked over at Shane as he stared back, then at Glenn,

"We'll know soon enough." Rick nodded past Harli and everyone's heads turned to see Daryl approaching, his crossbow shucked over his shoulder and his fist bloody with justice. Harli backed up a couple steps and Daryl stopped, glancing at her for a moment, then to Rick,

"Boy there's got a gang. Thirty men with heavy artillery and they ain't lookin' to make friends. They show up here, our boys are dead, and the women, gonna be wishin' they were."

"What did you do?" Carol asked grimly while staring at his bloody fist. He moved past Harli,

"We had a little chat."

"No one goes near this guy." Rick stated as Lori walked up to him, looking into his eyes for some kind of help,

"Rick, what're you gonna do?"

"We have no choice. He's a threat." Rick looked to everyone else, his eyes set on what was right. "We must eliminate the threat." Harli's disposition became disturbed and Dale walked up to them, his thick eyebrows knitted,

"You're just gonna kill him?"

"It's settled. We'll do it today." Without another word, Rick stalked off towards the farmhouse and Dale quickly followed, his rifle set on his shoulder. Harli looked to Glenn,

"You think he's serious about this?"

"I'm not sure, but Rick really feels threatened by this guy, maybe it is the only way?" Glenn looked over at Harli and she sighed internally, staring down at the fire,

"I don't think it's right though… we should have a vote, try to reason something a little more ethical."

"We can try, but you have to think about the risks and consequences that come with the situation, if we do decide to keep him around." The group began to go about their business and Harli looked out, seeing Dale coming back to camp. Harli glanced at Glenn one last time,

"Yeah but think about it Glenn. It's not making us any different than what we're being hunted by out there." She pushed herself off the tree she was leaning on, following after Dale as he passed her. Glenn sighed to himself, rubbing his face as Maggie put her hand on his shoulder.

"Dale!" Harli called, the sound of her voice making him slowly to a stop and turn around. The disturbance and distraught in his eyes dwelled as he stared at her, "I'm with you on this Dale, you're not alone." He put his head down and walked towards her a bit shamefully. Stopping, he sighed and put a hand on her shoulder, looking her into the eyes,

"I talked to Rick and he's giving me the day to talk to everyone and their views on the situation. Later on we're going to meet in the house and have a good old fashion vote. I'm hoping I can turn this around for Randal's sake."

"I want to help you out. All of a sudden humans outside the group are a bad thing. I know some are bad but Rick's not even giving this kid a chance to prove himself… like I had, too." Dale then removed his hand from his shoulder,

"So this isn't just about his life, it's about yours. You see some of yourself in him and his situation."

"I can't say that fully because I was just introduced without debate, but this… it's just not right. We're humans, not Walkers."

"For now, just hang around and I'm going to talk to everyone, try to change opinions or humor them. Just try to make Randal as comfortable as you can for the time being… and please, take your pistol with you… protect him. I'm gonna try to get Andrea to post down at the shed for protection as well, try to keep Shane or someone away from him."

"Dale, I don't think that's a good idea." Hearing the sound of Andrea's name, Harli protested to avoid any more unwanted hostility between the two. Dale's mouth drew into a thin line,

"I don't know what kind of conflict you two have against each other, or why in that matter, but you have to set your differences aside for the benefit of this group. Just try to avoid each other if you don't want to resolve whatever is between you two. I know Andrea can be _difficult_ sometimes, but…. I just wish you two wouldn't hate each other so much…" With that being said, Dale turned and disappeared into the Winnebago, leaving Harli to dwell in the words that had intelligently spewed from his mouth.

With Randal's care still being entrusted with Harli, she knew that Daryl wasn't very friendly with Randal. Looking for a bucket, she grabbed both it and an old rag, walking down the driveway towards the closest, clean well.

Harli carried the bucket of water from the well, a cloth soaking inside as that water splashed about. Her mind withered as Rick's words replayed over and over again in the depths of her ears. Not even getting a say in the matter, Rick seemed to make the decision that decided Randal's cruel fate. But that didn't mean that Harli wasn't still in charge of his care.

Seeing the damage of Daryl's fist after he had interrogated Randal, she couldn't imagine the devastation that he had caused to the poor boys face. He most likely wished he were dead.

Nearing the shed where he had been kept, Harli unlocked the latch and the door squealed open, making Randal jump at the sound. Harli stepped in and shut the door behind her, seeing him leaning against the wall in defeat. Sweat poured down his face and soaked through the blindfold he had over his eyes. Harli tilted her head, examining the cuts, bruises, and lumps that extended over his face, the damage being a little worse than she had expected.

Kneeling down in front of him, she pulled the bucket towards her and then looked back to Randal. Reaching up to his face, her fingers softly latched onto the blindfold and he flinched at her touch, thinking that the hand that touched him was a hand of deviousness. Harli pulled the blindfold off and immediately tossed it to the ground beside her. He opened his eyes, one being too swollen to open fully, and looked at her, "H-hey… you're that girl… that girl from when you guys saved me."

"Yeah I am."

"I'm really sorry bout shootin' at you. I was just doin' what I was told, I didn't know any better." He plead and Harli continued to stare at him while dipping the cloth in the water,

"Open your mouth. I'll give you some water." Hesitantly, he barely opened his mouth, straining when a small grunt of pain escaped his throat. Harli's eyes narrowed slightly, "Is that as far as you can open it?" He nodded and Harli sighed in discontent, holding the washcloth over his mouth and squeezing it tightly. The water drizzled into his mouth and Harli put it back in the bucket, waving it around in the cold liquid,

"Daryl did quite the number on you…" She mumbled, looking back over at him. Randal's head lazily nodded and he softly slammed his head back against the wall,

"Yeah… he made me tell him all kinds of stuff about my old group. I gave him all the information I had but he just wouldn't stop…" Randal panted softly, remembering the beating he had taken earlier. Harli rang out the wet cloth out, turning back toward Randal to pat his face lightly with the coolness. Sighing in relief at its touch, he looked at her, "Have you been the one takin' care of me the whole time I've been here?"

"Yeah. No one else really would, so I did."

"Thanks a lot…" She continued to dab the cloth, removing all the semi-dry blood that managed to stain his skin. There was a small silence between them until Randal stared at her, his dark brown eyes dull, "Am I goin' to die today?" Harli looked at him a bit surprised, her face softening when she sighed internally, putting the cloth back in the bucket,

"We're trying to figure out what we're going to do with you. I'm going to do what I can to get Rick away from that decision, but I can't guarantee that I'll be able to save your life." He looked at her thoughtfully, his eyes widening and his hopes gaining,

"You're vouchin' for me? Why? No one else is. They all think I'm this bad guy! I'm really not!"

"I was like you once. Rick found me wounded in the woods and took me back to camp. Everyone was a little hesitant around me because I was an outsider, but eventually I made a place in this group. I know you were with your group and shot at us, but you were only doing what you were told and doing what you could to survive. It's not fair for you to be locked up in here like some kind of animal." Harli stood up, grimacing at her throbbing leg while picking up the bucket. Randal stared at the bandage on her leg, seeing that blood was beginning to seep through. Harli look down at him with determination,

"Dale is going around talking to everyone on your behalf. We're going to have a meeting later on determining your fate. I'm going to try my best to get you out of this. No one should be subjected to an execution without trial by peers." Before he could say a word, Harli stepped out of the large shed and locked the door behind her.

"What do you think you're doin'?" Harli looked up upon hearing a familiar voice, seeing Shane approaching with a hardened expression on his face. His thumbs were tucked in his belt and his eyes dark with uncertainty. Harli's eyes narrowed as he stopped a few feet from her,

"What is it any of your business?"

"Boy's gonna die soon anyways, why take care of him now?"

"Because Hershel entrusted his care to me. His death warrant hasn't been signed yet until we decide tonight at the meeting." Shane couldn't help but smile and laugh to himself under his breath. Harli's eyebrows knitted in annoyance, not wanting to deal with his psychotic behavior,

"That meetin' is just for Dale sake so he can spit out how inhuman we are that we're gonna kill this kid because he's a threat to our group."

"I'm with Dale. It isn't right for him to die because he was doing what he could to survive, just like us."

"Even after the kid shot at you, you still gonna stick up for him? Didn't think a smart girl like you could be so naïve and stupid."

He moved closer to her, now hovering over to her while looking down into her green eyes. Her eyes were hard as she stared back into his black orbs, seeing the hostility and deadliness they beheld. She stood her ground, her hands tightening slightly. She felt like a Chihuahua under his Pitbull stare. "At least I'm not a stone cold killer who shoots before he thinks. People like you revel in their own guilt and take it out on others, I'm surprised you came back alive with Rick yesterday. He should have left you for dead to give this group the benefit of the doubt."

"You better watch your tongue with me there, missy." Harli watched as the muscles in his jaw began to clench. She leaned forward, her eyes dead set in his as her tone was low,

"What're you gonna do? Kill me like you did Otis?" Shane's hand latched onto Harli's neck in a death grip as he slammed her small frame up against the side of the shed. Her eyes were wide in shock and her fingers clawed into his wrist in attempts to get his iron grip from snapping her neck. He brought his face inches from hers and a snarl bloomed on his face,

"You listen here little lady, I ain't the one you want to be messin' with or mouthin' off to. You've been spittin' some fire lately, but it ain't gonna be to me. Don't think for one second that I won't choke the livin' daylights outta you if you get in my way, you understand me?" Harli gasped for air, nodding in agreement and Shane's grip released faster than before he had caught her. Dropping to the ground and couching in hysterics, Shane stalked off back towards the campsite, his hands clenched into fists and his face deadly with rage. Harli gasped for air, choking while she still felt the hand around her neck. The cold grass tried to revive her, and finally swallowing down a hard lump in her throat, she could finally breathe.

This time, she bit off more than she could chew.

**o.o**

The day finally began to come to a close as the sun began to retreat behind the mountains, creating a creamy horizon of yellows and oranges. Rick began to gather everyone and they all flooded into the farmhouse, the strays finding their way into the den, where some sat and some stood. Harli stood by the window next to Carol and Hershel, seeing that everyone had finally settled themselves. Rick shut the door and turned towards Carl, nodding for him to retreat to another room. Carl was hesitant at first, but ultimately left them.

In the awkward silence, Glenn was the first to speak, "So, do we take a vote?"

"Does it have to be unanimous?" Andrea asked. Rick walked further into the group and Lori looked to him,

"Majority rules."

"Wait now, I wanna see how everyone stands on this and then we'll go through the options."

"The only way I see it… the only way to move forward…" Everyone knew what Shane had meant, making Dales thoughts begin to flood from his mouth,

"Killing him, that's what you mean right? I mean, we all know which ways the winds blowin'."

"If people have objections, then I want to hear them." Rick intervened like a judge and Dale's face grew grim,

"Well I can tell you… it's a small group. Maybe just… me, Harli, and Glenn…" Glenn didn't speak and only looked at Dale as he twisted his hat nervously in his hands. Harli looked to Glenn, seeing the look on his face, "You got nothing to say?"

"Look I… I think you two are pretty much right about everything, all the time… but this-"

"They got you scared!"

"He's not one of us! And we've lost too many people already…" Glenn pointed out. There was a strong silence as Dale's hands began to shake,

"How bout you? Do you agree with this?" He asked Maggie and she only looked away, only saying a few words,

"Couldn't we continue keeping him prisoner?"

"Just another mouth to feed." Daryl's raspy voice was surprisingly soft as he leaned against the wall. Hershel looked to Maggie,

"Could be a lean winter."

"We could ration better."

"Well, he could be an asset!" Dale exclaimed. Harli, with her arms crossed, looked at Rick,

"You haven't given him the chance to prove himself. He could mean well."

"Put him to work?" Glenn asked but Rick soon bit back,

"We're not letting him walk around."

"We could put an escort on him?" Maggie suggested and Shane looked over at her,

"Who wants to take care of that guy?"

"I wouldn't mind taking care of that." Harli said, staring over at his hateful eyes as he glared back at her. Daryl glanced over at the small, green eyed girl and Rick put his hand up,

"I don't think anyone should be walking around with this guy."

"He's right I wouldn't feel very safe." Lori said and Andrea looked around at them,

"We can't exactly put chains around his ankles and sentence him to hard labor."

"Look, maybe he is helpful, maybe he's nice. We let down our guard and he runs off and brings back his thirty men. What then?" Shane asked and everyone looked at him thoughtfully. Dale stared over at Shane,

"So the answer is killing him for a crime he may never commit!? If we do this… then we lose all hope… and there will be no civilization!" Shane shook his head and mumbled _'Oh my god'_ under his breath. Hershel looked to Rick,

"Could we drive him out further? Leave him and come back?"

"You barely came back the last time." Lori looked to her husband before he had a chance to speak and Rick looked over his shoulder,

"We should not put our own people at risk." Glenn added after her,

"If you go through with it… how would you do it? Would he suffer…?" Patricia asked meekly from her place. Rick sighed and looked down, Dale becoming distraught,

"We could hang him… snap his neck…" Shane suggested and Rick nodded,

"I thought about that… shooting may be more humane…" There was another strong silence and T-Dog put his hand to his chin,

"Well… what about the body? What do we do-?"

"Wait, wait, wait!? You're talking as if you've already decided his fate!"

"You've been talkin' all day, goin' round in circles. Wanna go round in circles again?" Daryl asked, twirling his finger in the air. Dale began to spit out in hysterics,

"This is a young man's life! And it is worth more than a five minute conversation! Is this what it's come to? We kill someone because we can't decide what else to do with them!? You saved him! Now look at us… he's been tortured, now he's gonna be executed!" At this point, Rick had a hard time looking at Dale, knowing he was right in some sense,

"How are we better than those people that we're so afraid of?" Dale asked aloud while looking at everyone. Harli stared into their faces, seeing the remorse, guilt, and vulnerability they all held. She shook her head, looking out the window while hearing Shane's voice echo in her ears,

"We all know what needs to be done."

"No, Dale is right we need to go through every option and leave no stone unturned we have responsibilities-"

"So what's the other solution!?"

"Let Rick finish." Lori asked once Andrea had butted in,

"We haven't come up with a single, viable option yet. I wish we could-"

"So let's work on it!" Dale's tone became more and more hysterical by the second,

"We are-!"

"Stop it!" Carol's feeble voice entered the air sternly and she stared at everyone with meek eyes, not wanting to be part of the situation, "Just stop it! I'm sick of all this arguing and fighting… I didn't ask for this and you can't ask us to decide something like this. Please decide, either of you, both of you… but leave me out of it."

"Not speaking out… or killing him yourself… there's no difference." Dale shook his head as he stared at Carol,

"Alright, that's enough! Now, anybody want the floor before we make a decision? Now's the chance!" Rick asked, stepping back a few steps. The air was tense with silence as everyone bowed their heads, not wanting to say a word against Rick. Dale pointed to Rick,

"You once said we don't kill the living."

"That was before the living tried to kill us!"

"Don't you understand!? If we do this, the people we were, the world we knew, it's all dead! This new world is ugly… it's harsh… its survival of the fittest!... and that's not a world that I want to live in. I don't believe any of you do! I can't!" Dale looked at everyone and his eyes began to water. He was throwing his entire heart out on the table and everyone refused to hear him. Harli's heart began to hurt, "Please! Let's just do what's right! Isn't there anyone else that's going to stand with me?" There was another soft silence between everyone, no one knowing what to say.

"All you people amaze me…" All eyes turned to Harli as she stood, still staring out the window. Dale's eyes turned hopeful at the sound of her voice,

"Look at you all, tails between your legs and heads tucked between your knees, basically tuning all this out, not wanting a part of it. This is what a group is about, sticking together, helping each other out, and deciding what's best for us. You're all just wanting Rick to decide for you so it'll be done and over with and we can all get on with our pathetic lives while Dale sits here, all his ethics going down the toilet, pouring his heart out to you all and you just take your knives and stick them right in it." Harli stared out at everyone, her eyes green with venom as she walked forward,

"That kid is out there, fearing for his life like we all have before, and hasn't had a chance to prove himself because we won't let him, automatically labeling him dangerous because of the orders he followed. Yeah, I was there when he shot at me and we did what we could to protect ourselves at the time." She looked to Rick, walking towards him as her boots thudded against the hardwood floors under each step, "We save him, patch him up to give him hope that he's going to survive and let him join us or let him go, but now all he knows is that he's going to die anyways, wishing that we would have just left him there in the first place. We think of one thing to do and we totally go in the opposite direction or we spin in circles. So I want to ask you one thing Rick, pull that gun of your out and point it right between my eyes." Everyone stared at her with a bit of shock at her statement, her eyes staring straight into Rick's. As determined as they were, Rick shook his head,

"I don't know why you're askin' and I absolutely won't do it."

"Why? Because I'm an asset to the group _now_? After you and Glenn found me in the woods, wounded, you took me back to your group without their consent, bandaging me up. You didn't know who I was, where I came from, and if I were going to kill someone after I came to, not thinking if I were dangerous or not. All you knew was that I was just another human being in need of help and somewhere to belong. I needed to prove I was worthy in the group and make my place to where I could stay, proving my worth." Harli stretched her arms out from her sides for a dramatic effect, "Pull out your gun, Rick, because if you go kill Randal now, you might as kill me too, because I'm just another stranger that you think you know."

Rick dipped his head and sighed, not wanting to look at Harli for fear that he knew she was right in some sense. She put her arms down back to her sides, "That's what I thought." She looked over at Dale, who continued to wad his hat in his hand with anxiety, "I'm sorry Dale if this doesn't go the way you want. I don't know what happened to this group and it's a group I really don't think I want any part of anymore if it comes to this."

Harli glanced at Rick one last time before moving past him and towards the door. Daryl stared down at her with his icy eyes as she passed by, searching for the lie he had thought slipped her tongue. But alas, the words she spoke were the truth, making his mind clouded with confusion on what he could do at that time. Stay and listen to the decision that would have been made? Or pursue after the women to make sure she wasn't really going to leave?

He heard the door slam behind him, signaling that she had already left the farmhouse. His head turned back around when he heard displaced sighs coming from the others members, Rick's head continuing to dip in shame.

Harli's feet trampled against the ground as she quickened her pace back to the campsite, jumping onto the Winnebago's ladder and climbing to the top. Her eyes hardened, feeling proud of the speech she had given, but feeling it was not enough to persuade the group that they were making the wrong decisions. Sitting down in Dale's chair, her head dipped over the back of it as she stared up at the burning sky, noticing that the sun was falling faster than usual.

**o.o**

Hours later, the decision was made and Randal's fade was chosen. Rick was going to kill him in the barn and all would be settled as quickly as it began. The camp was grimly quite as everyone hid their heads, wanting the day to be over and done with so they could forget about it all the next day. There was a small dinner of beef and vegetables, some of the others not wanting to eat out of guilt.

Harli continued to sit above the Winnebago, looking out at the stars and keeping watch. Dale had walked off to gather his thoughts and dwell in his self-pity while Rick, Shane, and Daryl had extracted Randal from the shed, taking him to the barn to end his pathetic life. Harli tried to keep her gaze from crossing the barns path and waiting for the unwanted gunshot to ring through her ears.

Alas, after waiting for a while, the gunshot did not sound, making the group slightly unwary and whisper amongst themselves. Slowly, they heard footsteps echo from the dark of the trees, seeing Rick and Carl emerging, Rick's hand on his son's shoulder. Everyone stared as Rick stopped, Carl standing next to his mother silently. They all stared at Rick for an answer as he put his hands on his hips, "We're keepin him in custody… for now…" A large wave of relief surged through them all, everyone letting out silent sighs of relief and finally moving about freely without feeling chained,

"I'm gonna go find Dale." Andrea smiled and walked away from the safety of the fires light. Harli noticed that Lori and Rick had begun whispering amongst themselves so she tuned them out, not wanting to get in their business. The moonlight came out behind the clouds and shone down on the farm, not leaving a shadow to cast it's darkness among people. Harli lifted herself from the chair and crawled down the ladder, her feet touching ground for the first time in hours.

She began to clean up the leftover dinner scraps, tossing them in the fire as she went about.

"Harli." She looked up, seeing the voice that had called her name had come from Rick. His voice was soft and restless, "I'm sorry for the way you've been feeling about this situation, I didn't realize that it's making you want to leave the group." Harli's eyes trailed back down at the ground, "I'm going to try everything I can to make things right and I hope you'll be there to help us along the way." She looked back up at him,

"I'll do what I can, Rick, but seeing how broken our group is becoming, we may be farther from fixing than you think."

Just then, a blood curdling wail came from off in the distance, making Harli and Rick's head divert in that direction.

"What the hell was that!?"

"T-Dog! Get a shotgun! Now! Harli come with me!" Harli grabbed her shotgun from leaning on a tree and the two took off running. The others struggled to find weapons and quickly pursued after both Rick and Harli. In a dead sprint, Rick kicked open the gate and Harli followed him into the field, her skin crawling when the shouting became more frequent. The limp in her leg made her lag a few feet behind Rick, but the pain wouldn't stop her. They could see a faint light in the field and a figure jumping about,

"What's going on!?"

"Dale!" Harli shouted over the commotion when she deciphered the male shouts echoing through the air.

"Help! Over here!" Harli knew the voice was Daryl's and it was as frantic as she's ever heard him. The problem soon came into view and Harli's hands cupped over her mouth as she came to a stop, Rick kneeling down.

Dale lied in the steaming grass, his stomach torn to pieces and his eyes hysterical with shock and fear. She fell to her knees by his side, panting from speechlessness and fatigue that overtook her body. The group showed up quickly and their shocked equaled each other's, seeing the condition their beloved friend was in.

"Dale, look at me, you're going to be alright do you hear me!?" Rick tried to reassure him, but his words went in one ear and right out the other. Dale's face was completely riddled with shock and he didn't know what to think or what was going on.

"Get Hershel!" Rick shouted around them. Harli crawled up next to him and grabbed Dale's hand, his fingers instantly latching on with a death grip. Tears began to stain her cheeks as she heard the frantic gasping of her counterparts, seeing the horror of his gored abdomen exposed to the open air. Harli gripped his hand tightly,

"Dale? Dale, look at me, you're going to be alright." Dale's beady looked at her, but they looked through her, staring back at Rick as he continued to cry out for Hershel. Harli closed her eyes and put his cold hand to her forehead, not wanting this to be happening now or ever. Andrea sat on her knees across from Harli, trying to reassure Dale in the same manner she was, but alas, it was in vain.

"Dale, we're getting Hershel hold on, please hold on."

"What happened what's going on!?" Hershel ran up steadily and Rick quickly approached him, bringing him to the scene,

"Hershel what do we do!?" Rick voice began to crack and Harli looked at Hershel as he knelt down to evaluate the scene,

"We have to save him…" Harli choked out, looking at Dale's face as he tried to stare at everyone, searching for any kind of help. Rick knelt down next to Hershel,

"Can we move him!?"

"He won't make the trip…"

"We have to do the operation here, Glenn get back to the house-!" Hershel put his hand on Rick as he frantically tried to search for a solution. Hershel only shook his head and Rick knew what the output was,

"Dale!" Rick tore himself from the ground and shouted out his name, twirling in a circle and then returning his gaze to the catastrophe.

Sobbing and crying, the rest of the group could only stand and stare, not knowing what to say or do. Rick knelt back down to Dale, his hand on his gun. Dale gasped and cringed, crying out in pain, his suffering becoming inevitable. Harli sniffled and looked over at Rick, her crystalized tears shining in the moonlight,

"We have to do something…" She choked out and Rick shook his head, knowing what she meant. Andrea looked over at him,

"He's suffering." Dale began to choke and gurgle loudly. Harli knew blood was flooding into his lungs and he was having a harder time breathing. Rick stood up and pulled his gun from the holster, pointing it down between the eyes of his beloved group member. Andrea grimaced and turned away and Harli only closed her eyes, her fingers becoming numb from Dale's deadly grip.

Rick stood, staring down with dread and hesitating with every moment he had, not expecting to test himself on killing one of his own group members. Seeing the agonizing pain on Dale's face as his head thrashed about, he was surprised to see a new hand on the handle of his pistol, looking over and seeing Daryl's blue eyes meeting his.

Slowly, Daryl pulled the gun out of Rick's hand, taking the entire burden upon himself. Kneeling down, Harli glanced over, equally surprised to see that Daryl would be Dale's executioner. Their eyes met for a brief moment, but Daryl quickly looked back to his task at hand, knowing it was unavoidable and couldn't be drawn out longer. Hearing the click of the hammer draw back and seeing as Dale look down the shoot of the barrel, Harli grabbed his hand with both of hers,

"Dale… don't look… Don't look…" She whispered to him and he glanced at her once last time, but he couldn't help but look back at Daryl, who grimly stared down at him,

"Sorry brother…"

The exploding sound of the gunshot reverberated through the ears of the survivors and the tree trunks of the forest. Harli's ears rung as she felt bits of warm liquid on her face and Dale's hand lose its fighting spirit in her own. Opening her eyes, she saw the hole in his forehead that ended his aching life, his face oddly serene with virtue.

All Harli could hear through the ringing of her ears were that straining sobs and gasps that came from everyone else. Slowly letting Dale's hand down on the cold grass, Harli fell back on her rump and ran her hand through her hair, staring down at Dale's body, the reality of his death not hitting her just quite yet.

Daryl stood up, handing Rick's Python back to its masters shaking hand, his face solemn and dismal.


	21. Chapter 21

Silence.

That's all there was for the entire morning. Everyone meandered about, not knowing what to do with themselves, feeling an emptiness that could never be refilled. No one had words to express, no one knew what to do, and no one barely knew who they were in those moments. The morning was bright, but the feelings were dark.

The men finished digging the large grave, carefully placed next to Sophia's and Hershel's departed family's graves, and lightly placed Dale's body in the ground. They were as careful as possible; like Dale was sleeping peacefully and they didn't want to wake him.

Harli, Lori, and Carol all picked numerous amounts of flowers and cradled them like newborn children while Maggie and Andrea placed large rocks around the perimeter of his grave. The large maple tree that towered over them draped its branches with sorrow as the humans buried another one of their fallen, a soft breeze caressing everyone's cheeks to reassure them that everything would be alright and their survival must proceed.

Everyone gathered around for the ceremony after the women placed down the flowers on the fresh dirt, standing up and beside their allies. The long silence indeed continued until Rick muscled up the words for his remembrance speech, all ears open to what he had to say,

"Dale… he could get under your skin, he sure got under mine. Because he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought, how he felt. That kind of honesty is rare… and brave… whenever I'd make a decision, I'd look at Dale, and he'd be lookin' at me with that look he had. We've all seen it, one time or another. I couldn't always read him, but he could read us. He saw people for who they were, saw things in us, the truth, and who we really are. In the end, he was talking about us losing our humanity. He said this group was broken and the only way to fix it is to unbrake it. We must set aside our differences and pull together."

Harli and Andrea exchanged glances.

"It's not about feeling sorry about ourselves, taking control of our lives, our safety, our future. We're not broken… and we're gonna prove him wrong. From now on, we're gonna do it his way. That is how, we honor Dale…" There was no objections and no words left to be said for their departed counterpart. Slowly, the group members dissipated back to the campsite, work needing to be done and preparations needing to be made.

Harli was the only one left and she stood over the grave alone. The grief hit her hard, that morning, when Dale wasn't present for breakfast. Her eyes were low, tired, dull, and began to spout soft tears without her consent. Her hair bowled around her face and she pushed her bangs back, not noticing who had approached behind her.

"Cryin' over the matter ain't gonna bring him back." Harli turned when hearing the rapsy voice, seeing Daryl standing behind her with a solemn expression, his crossbow hitched on his shoulder. She sniffled and wiped her eyes, crossing her arms and knitting her eyebrows,

"I know, but I just can't help it." Daryl walked up and stood beside her, looking down at the grave, then over to her,

"Some things happen for a reason. I believe that the old man dyin' gave this group the help they needed." Harli looked over at him, her eyes red as his blue eyes glanced back over to her,

"It's breakin' every one of their hysterics, givin' them the strength to change back to the way things were and how they should be. Rick was right when he said that we needed to pull together in order to survive and if this death wouldn't have happened, I bet the consequences would be more dire than they already were." Harli looked back down as the breeze cooled her hot cheeks. Daryl's words struck her like lightning, but he was right,

"It's just going to be hard. He was such a viable member of the group… for the longest time, I would get annoyed at how he worried too much about me, but at the same time, I was glad. He was more of a father to me in the little time I've been here than my real father was in my entire life. I owed him my life that night he saved me on the highway…" She rubbed her hand over the scabbed scar of his neck, feeling small surges of pain of the bruising on her soft skin from Shane's wicked hand. Daryl pouted and stared back at the grave, his mind twirling with thoughts with things to ask her, but he was too hesitant. What he had done to her days before still dwelled in his mind and hindered him from having contact with her, not knowing what she now thought of him. Looking back at her soft face, one question lingering since yesterday,

"What you said yesterday in the house, bout you wantin' to leave, did you really mean it?" Harli looked over at him, hearing slight unhappiness in the question. There was wariness in her eyes,

"I'm not exactly sure… it was more of a spur-of-the-moment type of thing… but if this group were to lose its humanity, I see no place in it for me any longer." Daryl continued to stare at her with his blue eyes,

"You're too much of an asset to leave this group. We'd tie you up to a tree and keep you here so you wouldn't run off and do somethin' stupid like you usually do." Harli couldn't help but laugh to herself at his statement and he couldn't help but crack a small smile as well. Losing his smile quickly though, he looked down at the smaller woman, his eyes dead set on one thing in mind,

"About the other night…" Harli looked to him as his voice continued to be soft, yet husky, and she easily knew what he was talking about when she felt invisible, hard hands on her shoulders, "I shouldn't have done what I did and I was in the wrong. Putting hands on a woman is pathetic in my eyes… and for that, I apologize." Seemingly surprised at his humbleness, she stared at him, and he stared back with sincerity behind the pout on his face. She smiled softly,

"I've been waiting for you to say something like that… I thought you'd stay mad at me forever." She turned and began to walk back to camp and he followed like he had nothing else to live for,

"Yeah well, I had to muscle up the balls to try and say it. Didn't think you'd believe me after how much of an ass I've been. If I were you I wouldn't try."

"Yeah well… you're not me." Feeling slightly better, Harli's engaging, old personality slowly began crawl back to life, thanks to Daryl.

"How's your leg holdin' up anyways? You did a pretty crappy wrap job." Harli looked down and noticed the exposed wound and the dirty gauze and the wrap as it was loosely holding onto her leg. She still wore the borrowed pants that she fought Andrea in and forgot that she hadn't changed them in days. She looked back over at Daryl,

"It hasn't really bothered me much, but I was just lucky that I stopped her knife before it could dig deep enough to do damage."

"I never seen you so angry before. Not to mention that I never saw you much as the fightin' type. It was kinda strange when you were fightin' like a wildcat after I pulled you off." They began to near the campsite and Harli cracked a small smile, knowing that he was slightly amused by her rage outbreak during that time,

"Well… that just sort of… happened."

"Stuff like that just don't 'happen'."

"Daryl!" The two turned, seeing Shane approach with the chaotic walk he always stepped to. Harli lost her smile and her eyes grew dark, stopping and stepping back a couple times. Daryl glanced back at her with confusion, his eyebrows knitting together at seeing her eyes dead set on Shane, her demeanor changing completely. Before he could ask what was wrong, Shane called him once again,

"Rick wants us to head out and secure the perimeter around the farm and go make sure that there are no more Walkers around to get at us. Andrea and T-Dog are getting' ready to go," He glanced over at Harli, who continued to stare with detest. Hiding his own newly found despise for the girl while Daryl stood in front of him, Shane spoke with a normal tone, "You gonna go, too? We could use the brawn."

"Absolutely not." Harli quickly walked past him and back to camp, leaving the two men to watch her strut with steam. Shane looked back at Daryl,

"What's her problem?" Daryl stared over at him, his eyes narrowing,

"I don't know. She was fine till you showed up." Their eyes watched each other closely as Daryl walked by and back to camp to help secure the perimeter. With a scoff, Shane pursued after Daryl to start the task at hand.

As Harli stalked up to camp, Lori took notice to her arrival and finished putting supplies back in the box, "Hey Harli, thought you'd be getting ready to go with Shane and the others by now." Harli stopped and quickly changed her demeanor, running a hang through her hair and setting a hand on her hip,

"Uh… I decided not to go… thought I'd stay here and help you guys there's a lot of stuff that needs to be done." Lori stood up and wiped her hands on her pant legs, staring at the smaller woman,

"Are you sure? They might need your help with the dead eye you have."

"I am. I'd rather be helping you guys anyways; those four can take care of their own." She glanced over at the truck solemnly, seeing the small task force readying their gear and hopping into the light blue Ford truck. Lori glanced over as well, then back to Harli,

"Dale's death still bothering you? It seemed to hit you harder than most of us." Harli paused for a moment and looked at the ground, then back to Lori,

"Not really... Daryl managed to cheer me up a bit, but I'm still a bit gloomy."

"You guys talkin' again?" Harli glanced over at Daryl as she watched him jump into the back of the truck, Shane starting the engine and revving it. Shoving it in gear, it jumped once and then shoved off, the small group off to start their duties. Daryl's eyes locked with Harli's as they drove off,

"Somewhat…"

Later on after Shane, Daryl, Andrea, and T-Dog returned, Hershel had called everyone around, telling the group that he had decided that it would be safer if they all stayed in the house. All fourteen people in the house would be a tight fit, but it would be the best so that everyone could keep an eye on each other.

Not to mention late fall, early winter was slowly approaching.

Harli began to pack up all her things, shoving whatever clothes she had in her backpack and rolling up her blankets and sleeping bags. Yanking the last blanket out of the tent, she heard a thud and looked down, seeing her bow lying on the ground. Narrowing her eyebrows, she knelt down, taking the bow in her hands. She had completely forgotten about her bow. Ever since the night with Daryl she hadn't thought much of it and if she did think about it, it would have come in handy on her scouting trip with Andrea. She could have shot down the Walker faster than Andrea had and maybe the day wouldn't have gotten so outta hand.

Standing back to her feet, she heard Rick talking to Hershel and gathered up her backpack and a few blankets.

"Here, let me take some of those." Harli felt some of the blankets being pulled out from under her arms. Turning, she saw T-Dog as he muscled most of her bedding over his shoulder,

"Thanks T-Dog. I wish I didn't have so much crap."

"I wish we all didn't have so much crap. Be a lot easier for all of us." The two walked towards the back on the truck, throwing the bedding up against the cab. Harli hurled her backpack in as well, shouldering the bow and looked over at T-Dog,

"Help me take down my tent so we can get that stupid thing dealt with?"

"Yeah sure." The two turned and walked towards her small tent, stopping shortly when they heard Rick,

"Alright everyone let's get all the vehicles to every exit of the house facing the highway in case of emergency." T-Dog and Harli quickly pulled down the small tent and packed it up in the back of the truck. Smacking the tailgate shut, Harli signaled the truck was full and T-Dog began to drive it up to the house, along with everyone else.

Unloading the vehicles, box by box and bag by bag, the group began to load the house with supplies. Hershel tried to distinguish who got which rooms or areas of the household. Deciding in favor of Lori's condition, Rick, Lori, and Carl got Hershel's bedroom. Maggie was trying to convince Glenn to stay in her room, but he brushed it off his shoulder and refused.

Harli had moved her things to the small den where her and Carol were set to share. Harli gave Carol the bed while Harli took the couch, setting her stuff in the corner and out of the way, "You really don't have to give me the bed Harli… I'm fine with taking the couch I've had the bed in the Winnebago for quite some time."

"Don't worry about it Carol, I don't need any bed to be comfortable." Meekly, Carol turned around and placed her bag on the bed. She looked over her shoulder before leaving the room,

"I have to go finish gathering supplies for Randal."

Harli nodded and returned to her backpack, opening it and reaching inside, pulling out her old journal, ammo boxes, and pistol, dumping the rest of her dirty clothes on the floor to sift through them. She checked her ammo boxes, seeing that there were only three boxes of both pistol and shotgun shells left. She sighed and rubbed her head, seeing how low her ammo supply was and glanced over at the quiver of arrows she had made, seeing that there was a low supply of them as well.

Standing up and shoving her pistol clip into the gun, she cocked it and tucked it behind the small of her back, walking out of the room. She looked around, seeing everyone crowding about and setting down supplies, trying to find designated places for certain ones and continued to try and figure out where exactly everyone would be staying.

"Harli!" Harli searched for Carol's soft voice, finally meeting the glistening blue eyes of Carol. She had a large box in her arms as Harli approached,

"Can you please take this out to the truck? I need to go help Lori."

"Yeah sure, of course." Harli took the large box in her arms and made way out the side door. The blue Ford was parked next to the shed where Randal was being held and the only thing that kept the men from leaving was the box of supplies in Harli's arms. She slowly made way down the steps, not being able to see them below her feet, and trip on the last one. She felt something hard catch the box and looked up, seeing Daryl standing over her, the box leaning against his arms,

"Try not trippin' over yourself all the time you're just an accident waiting to happen." Taking the box from her arms, he slid it into the bed of the truck,

"We should put a caution sign on her and wrap her in bubble wrap." T-Dog joked while leaning on the side of the truck, a smile plastered on his face. Daryl couldn't help but smile himself and Harli only rolled her eyes and scoffed playfully, walking towards them,

"Ha ha very funny…" Harli growled while walking up and leaning on the truck. She then glanced over at Daryl, "So you guys really gonna go let Randal go, huh?"

"That's the plan."

"You guys ready?" The three turned to see Rick walking up. Daryl grabbed his crossbow and Rick walked around Harli and T-Dog,

"I'll go get the kid." T-Dog reached in his pocket and walked off. Harli continued to lean on the truck as Rick put another bag in the back,

"I'm really glad you're going through with this, Rick." He looked over at her and nodded,

"Yeah… I think it's better for all of us. A clear conscience for anyone. You were right, we shouldn't subject ourselves to something like that, it'll break us."

"A lot of what came out of my mouth was out of line, I must say."

"No, it was right of you to bring up some of the things you said. We needed to hear it."

"Yo Harli." T-Dog walked up and Harli's green eyes trailed over to him, "You remember the combo to the lock?"

"Oh, yeah sure I'll just go put it in for you and help with getting him in the truck."

"Thanks." He laughed and the two walked behind the house and to the shed. Harli's gentle hands began to put in the combination and T-Dog slammed his hands on the door, "Yo Randal! You're a free man!" Harli smiled and unlocked the door, yanking off the lock and opening it.

Her eyes widened when she stepped in, seeing the shed was completely empty.

"Aw hell no!" T-Dog ran back towards the truck where Daryl and Rick were patiently waiting. Harli looked around, trying to find any trace of Randal's whereabouts. She heard footsteps and turned, seeing Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog staring at the bedding where Randal was sitting,

"I can't find anywhere he could've escaped from…" Harli looked down at Rick as he inspected the sight,

"This can't be happening…" The two walked back out the door and looked around, especially towards the woods to see any sign of his whereabouts. Daryl began to scan the ground with his hound eyes, but came up dry with nothing.

"What's going on!?" Lori and the others came running and Rick began to walk up to them,

"Randal's missing."

"Missing!? How!?"

"How long's he been gone?" Hershel asked and Rick shook his head,

"I don't know where trying to find out how he escaped exactly."

"I couldn't find anywhere he could've escaped and the lock was still on the door, so there's no way he could've left out the front." Harli added while continuing to look around,

"Cuffs are still hooked he had to have slipped 'em."

"Is that possible?" Carol asked Rick in a bit surprised. Andrea stepped out of the shed,

"It is when you've got nothin' to lose."

"What're we gonna do?"

"We gotta go find him." Rick rubbed his head, still shocked by their current situation.

"Rick!" Everyone heard a loud, frantic voice, "Rick!" Harli's eyes turned and she saw Shane trudging out of the forest, his face mashed and bloody. Lori's eyes widened,

"What happened!?"

"He's armed! He's got my gun!"

"You okay!?" Rick called while walking towards his friend and Shane's continued to march forward, "I'm fine! Little bastard just snuck up on me and clocked me in the face!" Rick turned around, his face chaotic and unwavering,

"Alright Hershel! T-Dog! Get everyone back in the house! Glenn, Daryl! You two come with me!"

"T! Imma need that gun!" Shane walked up to T-Dog and he handed him a pistol reluctantly,

"Can't we just let him go? That was the plan in the first place, right!?" Carol asked and Rick snapped back at her,

"The plan was to let him loose far away from here not on our front step with a gun!"

"You guys can't go out there you don't know what will happen!"

"Get everyone back in the house, lock all the doors, and stay put!" Rick shouted while ignoring Carol and walking off quickly in the forest, Daryl, Glenn, and Shane hot on his tail. Harli turned around,

"Come on guys get back in the house!"

"Let's move ya'll come on!" T-Dog and Andrea helped round up the group and quickly herded them back to the house, locking all the doors behind them and arming themselves heavily.

**o.o**

Hours flew by and the sun went down behind the mountains, leaving the farmhouse and the survivors to strain through the darkness. They sat in intense silence, waiting for one, or all, of the men to return to them to assure the farm was safe.

But alas, it was not that simple for them.

Harli stood in the living room, the rest sitting on the couches and chairs silently, and stared out the window, waiting for any sign of arrival or movement.

"They're taking too long…" Maggie said while running a hand through her hair and putting a hand on her chin, "It's been hours now."

"I hope nothing went wrong." Carol said and Hershel leaned forward, putting a hand up,

"Ya'll need to stop worryin' yourselves over the matter and put trust in them to go out and risk their lives for us. They'll all come back soon." Hershel leaned his head back down. Harli heard a sigh and then Andrea's voice broke the silence,

"I'm going out to look for them." She stood up and Harli turned around, but Lori beat her to it,

"Don't Andrea if something were to happen we're gonna need you here." Not even after a few seconds, they heard the front door open and footsteps enter the premises. Everyone's heads turned to see Daryl and Glenn walking in, their bodies lifting from the chairs they sat in,

"Rick and Shane ain't back?" Daryl asked while looking around, not seeing the other two men they parted from in the forest hours before.

"No they're not."

"We heard a shot."

"Well maybe they found Randal…" Lori said and Daryl looked at her with suspicion in his eyes,

"We found him…"

"Is he back in the shed?" Asked Patricia and Daryl glanced at her, then back to Lori,

"He's a Walker."

"Did you find the Walker that bit him?" Hershel asked and Glenn looked at him, his eyes muddled with confusion,

"Well that's the thing… he wasn't bit."

"His neck was broke." Daryl said and Harli crossed her arms,

"He must've fought back then."

"The thing is, Shane and Randal's tracks were right on top of each other. Shane ain't no tracker… so he didn't come up behind him. They were together." Lori walked up and clasped her hands together, putting them in front of her mouth,

"Can you please get back out there to find Rick and Shane and find out what the hell is goin' on?" Daryl was a bit apprehensive, but ultimately nodded his head and shouldered his crossbow,

"You got it." Daryl walked off into the dining room and Glenn followed after to see what their plan of action was. Harli turned around and walked towards the door,

"Where are you going?" Lori turned towards her and Harli put her hand on the door handle,

"I'm just stepping outside for a minute, I left my shotgun on the porch. I'm not going anywhere." She reassured them before stepping out into the cold air and onto the creaking wood of the porch. Her green eyes strained to see through the darkness. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she got on her hands and knees to search for her trusted gun. Her hand swiped about the old wood until she felt the cold steel of its barrel,

"How the hell you get down here?" She asked herself while finding the handle and lifting it up. Grabbing onto the railing, she pulled herself to her feet and patted off her knees. She looked up briefly and then turned around to head back into the house, but an unfamiliar sight caught her eyes.

Her eyes narrowed and her shoulders clenched up tightly as she turned her body sideways, staring out towards the barn. A dry gasp escaped her lips and her eyes widened, wheeling around on her heel and quickly running back into the house. The sudden arrival of her erratic footsteps made everyone stare in her direction as she entered the household, her eyes continuing to stare widely,

"Walkers… there are Walkers everywhere!" Everyone's faces turned grim and Daryl walked past Harli quickly out the door, Harli turning and following him, as well as everyone else. Running out on the porch, the two quickly stopped and stared out at the large horde that was fast approaching. Hershel walked in front of Harli, staring out at the barn in slight horror. He turned, his voice soft in a whisper,

"Patricia, kill the lights!"

"I'll get the gun bag." Andrea quickly turned and ran back into the house. Harli looked to Daryl,

"What're we going to do? There's so many of them."

"Maybe they'll pass just like the heard on the highway, should we just go inside?" Daryl looked to Glenn,

"No, unless there's a tunnel downstairs that I don't know about, a herd that size will rip the house down…" He looked back out towards the barn, trying to decipher exactly what he was going to lead the group to do.

"Carl's gone!" Lori came rushing out of the house and the four turned to see her eyes wide with hysterics,

"What?"

"H-he's not upstairs I looked everywhere I can't find him."

"Well maybe he's hiding." Carol expressed and Lori shook her head,

"He's supposed to be upstairs I'm not leaving without my boy!"

"He's gotta be around here somewhere let's go find him come on, we-we're gonna look again and we're gonna find him!" Carol grabbed Lori's hand and towed her back into the house to find Carl. Andrea pushed through them and set the gun bag down on the bench. She opened it in haste and everyone began to distribute guns. Harli ran inside and grabbed her light backpack, bringing it back outside and loading her shotgun as full as it could load,

"So what's the plan? Where are we leaving to?" Harli asked while cocking her shotgun and checking her pistol,

"You can go if you want." Hershel said while loading a shotgun quickly, as well as his pockets full of shells. Daryl looked over at him, his eyes narrowed,

"You gonna take 'em all on?"

"We have guns, we have cars."

"Kill as many as we can and we'll use the cars to lead the rest of them off the farm. Harli!" Harli looked over to Andrea and she threw her the bundle of arrows she had worked so hard to make. Taking them, she nodded and shoved them in her backpack, tossing he bow strap over her chest and tucking her pistol in her pant line,

"Are you serious?" Daryl asked Hershel and the older man stared at him, eyes determined,

"This is my farm, I'll die with it." Daryl nodded and couldn't help but smirk while sitting on the railing and swinging his legs over the side,

"Alright… it's as good a night as any." Harli turned to Hershel and the others,

"If we're going to make a stand why don't we use the cars to run back and forth across the fence line and mow down as many as we can? One driver, one shooter."

"Sounds like a good plan." Hershel stated and Andrea looked to Harli,

"I'll take the blue Ford."

"And I'll go with you. You're a better shot than me so I'll drive." T-Dog and Andrea quickly left the porch and ran to the blue truck. Maggie and Glenn looking towards Hershel,

"We're going to get in the SUV."

"I'll take the Winnebago." Glenn, Maggie, and Jimmie ran off the porch to get the game started.

"Patricia! You, Beth, and the others stay inside and batten down the hatches. If need be, you get out of here." Hershel commanded and the two girls nodded, running inside. Harli looked to Hershel and he nodded,

"I'm going to stay here and protect my house."

"Be careful. Holler if you need help!" Harli turned and jumped off the porch looking about and seeing that the trucks were already set in motion as they sped off towards the fence line of the barn. As her backpack bounced against her back, heavy with ammunition and arrows, she spotted Daryl as he began to start the motorcycle,

"Daryl! Wait!" Revving the throttle, he managed to hear her voice through the loud engine. Before taking off, he waited for her arrival,

"Decidin' not to take a car with one of the others?"

"That's no fun now is it?" She smiled and swung her leg around the back, her shotgun resting on her knees. Daryl revved the engine and the bike quickly spun out in the dirt and took off towards the large herd that began to pour from the forest.

The bike lurched form potholes in the ground and brought up a cloud of dust behind the two. Coming to a stop in the grass, Daryl stood up, as well as Harli, and began firing upon the Walkers. One by one, they split the heads of their enemies with lustful bullets,

"You sure you don't want to drive and I'll shoot?" Harli asked with a smirk in between the gunshots. Taking aim to a closer Walker, she pulled the trigger and down it went into the cold grass below its decaying feet,

"No way, where's the fun in that?" He mused, staring down the sights of his pistol and not missing a beat.

"Come on, let's get going!" Harli quickly sat down just in time when the bike took off again. Catching herself on Daryl's shoulder before she could fall, she pulled her pistol out of her pant line, lying her shotgun down, aiming it steadily at the numerous Walkers that they had passed by. Plugging three in the head, Daryl came to a stop to begin his own carnage, this time, Harli getting off the bike completely.

Raising her pistol, she walked towards the fence and began dropping Walker's one by one. Daryl noticed that she seemed to get farther and farther away with every step she took. Sitting on his bike, he kicked down on the gear shift and took off towards her,

"Come on we gotta get movin'!" He pulled up next to her and she shot the last bullet out of her pistol before tearing out the clip to reinsert her back up clip,

"I'll stay on the ground you go ahead!"

"I ain't leavin' you behind now get on the damn bike!" Harli shoved the clip back into her pistol and grabbed her shotgun from the seat, staring at him,

"Don't worry about me, I'm fast, remember?" She smirked and cocked her pistol, turning and aiming it towards the Walkers. Knowing how stubborn she could be, Daryl scoffed and pouted,

"Fine but you be careful!" Daryl glanced at her back one last time as she fired away, hesitating to leave her on her own. With a huff he quickly revved the engine and popped it into gear, taking off faster towards the barn.

Harli saw a bright light out of the corner of her eye and turned, large flames trickling in her eyes as she stared in awe at the barn. The entire foundation went up in flames and cried out in hellish crackles and roared to life after igniting the old wood of the roof. The Walkers began to crowd around it like flies to a flame.

The Winnebago came out of nowhere and charged towards the barn. So distracted by what was going on, Harli neglected the dangers around her. She felt a grabbing hand on her shoulder and turned seeing a Walker gnawing its jaws at her as she ripped herself from its grasp. Raising her pistol, she blew its head apart at close range and took off running, avoiding T-Dog and Maggie's driving.

The Walkers were beginning to come out of nowhere in all directions, making the situation much more dire. She ran through a large horde of them in order to get towards the house, blasting them away as she ran by. She came to an abrupt halt when she encountered a small wall of them and raised her pistol, pulling the trigger. Her eyes widened when her gun only clicked and did not release a bullet from the chamber. With no time to reload her trusted pistol, she shoved it in her back pocket and gripped the barrel of her shotgun with both hands, swinging it and knocking the Walkers off their feet.

Using it as a bat, she swung back and forth through the cluster of Walkers before she broke through, making a straight shot towards the farmhouse. As she ran, she saw Hershel standing on the side of the house, mowing down the Walkers that continued to walk towards him and threaten his house. She stopped, looking for any sign of the others, but the front door was wide open and she heard strenuous voices.

Heard a crying scream, Harli's head whipped around as she saw Carol being cornered by the shed, Walkers slowly making their way towards her. Frantically, Harli's legs moved out from under her in a dead sprint as she ran towards her.

"Harli help!" Carol screamed, making Harli's blood pump faster and her legs pound harder against the ground. Jumping in front of Carol, Harli swung the butt of her gun, cracking open the skull of the undead before it could reach her, "Andrea! Andrea went down!" Harli looked down, seeing a Walker's body on top of Andrea's. Harli ran forward quickly to check on her, but two Walker's rushed in front at her, almost grabbing her arms in the process. Harli jumped back and grabbed Carol's hand,

"This way, hurry!" Harli tugged along the panicked Carol as they ran down the driveway. In a spot of breathing room, the two women stopped and Harli quickly pulled out a box of ammo, handing both it and her pistol to Carol,

"I need you to reload my two clips for me! Can you do that!?" Harli asked frantically and Carol nodded, quickly grabbing the pistol and ammo, "Stay behind me!" The two began to back up and Harli grabbed a few shotgun shells from her jacket pocket, popping them in the load and cocking it just before a Walker could get them. The spray of pellets burst through the barrel and annihilated the head of the Walker, sending it plummeting to the ground.

The two's heads turned quickly when they heard a burnout, seeing the vehicles, one by one disappearing down the roads in different directions. Harli gasped and turned back around, shooting the Walker's one by one.

"Here! It's loaded!" Harli turned and shoved the pistol and its extra clip in her back pocket. Carol's breathing began to become unsteady and she began to cry as they continued to back up away from the large horde of approaching Walkers. Harli tried her best to keep them protected, but without the vehicles, her hope was slowly beginning to diminish and all escape plans failed in her head.

With the overpowering sound of snarls, gasps, growls, and moans, Harli jumped slightly at the sound of Carol's screams, turning and seeing that they were slowly beginning to become surrounded. Harli gritted her teeth and latched onto Carol's hand once again, "Come on! Quickly before they circle us!" Carol lagged on as Harli drug her through the large horde, finally breaking home free and running down the large, dirt driveway, the Walkers not far behind in the slightest. A sudden rush of relief took over Harli as her ears picked up the sound of Daryl's motorcycle, seeing the light of it emerging and barreling towards them fast.

Daryl's bike skidded to a stop and Harli helped Carol along towards the bike, "Get on, quick!" Harli helped Carol on the bike and she latched on tightly. Daryl quickly lifted his pistol and shot a Walker dead as it came up behind Harli. She looked over her shoulder, seeing the horde fast approaching,

"Get on! I can fit three people!" Looking back to the seat, there was barely any room for Harli's backpack and she closed her eyes tightly, hearing Daryl's strained words enter her ears. Looking back over at him, Harli's eyes softened,

"There's no way you're going to be able to ride easily with all three of us on…"

"You don't know what I can do now get your ass on now!" Looking over her shoulder at the approaching horde that will most likely follow them, her mind quickly made a drastic decision as she turned back towards Daryl,

"It won't matter if we leave they'll follow us! Get Carol to safety and I'll draw them away!"

"Are you crazy!? I ain't leavin' you hear now get your ass on this bike right now!" Daryl commanded but Harli wouldn't listen and her mind was dead set on her plan.

Her hands placed themselves on the side of his face and her lips calmly met his. Swallowing the guilt and pain of leaving, tears strolled down Harli's cheeks and her lips quivered. Pulling away, she stared into his bright, blue, shocked eyes as her apple green irises spilled her tears, "Say hello to the sunrise for me."

Without another word, Harli quickly turned around and ran towards the fence,

"Over here! Come over here! You want some of me come and get it!" Harli shouted as loudly as possible while waving her arms and letting off a shot out of her shotgun and diving over the fence,

"Get your ass back over here Harli! Get back over here now!" Daryl shouted as he began to get off his bike to pursue after her, but Carol had latched onto his jacket before he could go anywhere,

"Daryl we have to go they're getting too close!"

Walkers were almost in arms reach and Daryl's head whipped around; his mind tore in half by Harli's sudden and sweet departure. Growling, he slammed his foot down on the gear shift and revved the bike, its back tire spinning out and taking off quickly down the driveway and onto the dirt road. Daryl's eyes scanned for Harli in the field, wanting her to show up on the road so he could sweep her off her feet and take her to safety.

But to his dismay, with the light of the barn fire illuminating the field, Harli was running into the woods and the large pack of Walker's were hot on her trail.

**o.o**

It felt like hours had gone by and the cold air bit at Harli's skin through the open front of her jacket. Her legs burned like an intense fire and her chest grew incredibly sore from her over working lungs. Softly, the first peeks of the daylight began to paint the forest around her as she mentally thanked the morning hours. For the first time in a while, she could see where she was going, but to her misfortune, she didn't know exactly where she was. All the trees began to mesh together as she jogged down an old deer path, her feet crunching against the leaves below her feet. Her panting was steady and tiring as she slowed, looking over her shoulder and seeing she had gained some distance between her and a small strain of Walker's that continued to pursue her sweet scent.

Taking the time, Harli reloaded her pistol in a slower jog, popping the slip back in and cocking it just in case she had needed it. The string of her bow dug into her neck while it was wrapped around her torso, disabling it from disappearing once again. Shoving her pistol back into her pocket, she kept her tired jogging pace as she pursued the old trail in front of her.

Daryl's face haunted her mind and the look her had when she jumped over the face almost made her break out in tears once again. Just when they were starting to get along again, she had to sacrifice herself to save both him and Carol from being destroyed from the horde that attacked the farm.

If she could go back in time, she would do it all over again.

Hearing a snarl, her head snapped in the direction, seeing stray Walkers coming out of the tree's to her left, and eventually her right. Heaving in a large breath, her legs ran on empty tanks as she tried to run again, but the burning cut in her thigh began to show its ugly head, and at such a dire time such as things. Gritting her teeth through the pain, she forced her legs to stretch out faster as the Walkers were staring to get close again. She had speed, but unfortunately, they had gross stamina. Gasping for air as her lungs felt like they were going to fail on her, she stopped by a tree and leaned on it, doing her best to rest quickly to catch her breath before pursuing on.

Hearing footsteps a little too close for comfort; she turned, seeing a few Walkers were closer than she thought. Quickly yanking out her pistol, she pointed and shot, taking down the closest one as it hissed all the way to the ground. Panting heavily as her legs began to shake, she wheeled around the tree trunk and quickened her pace, her leg's stumbling about in defeat as they did not want to run any longer. Harli's hand shook as she lifted her heavy pistol once again, aiming and missing a close Walker in front of her. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed the handle with both hands to improve her steadiness and fired, this time, not missing the target between its eyes.

Letting out a shriek of horror, Harli began to panic as she felt cold arms wrap themselves around her tightly. A grotesque snarl rung in her ears as the Walker's black and bloody saliva dripped on her neck. Harli quickly began to thrash to get away from the Walker and it hissed and snarled in annoyance that its meal was not being very easy to consume. With her free arm, Harli shoved her elbow into the Walker's face as hard as she could. Her heart throbbed when she heard a snap and managed to steal a quick glance, seeing that its head hung between the back of its shoulders. She knew she had broken is neck and did her best to try and get away from its deadly grasp, but to no avail, she was too tired and it overpowered all of her strength.

Harli gritted her teeth and thought quickly. Not wanting to meet the same fate as Dale had days before, and not having anyone to come to her rescue, Harli made yet another dire decision and it could both save her and destroy her.

Scrambling to reach for her pistol in her back pocket, she finally managed to rip it out and get her grip on the handle. Taking a deep breath, she shoved the barrel to her left shoulder and closed her eyes as tightly as she could, holding her breath while her finger pulled the trigger.

Her eyes suddenly spun in circles as her body crashed to the ground, shock emulating throughout her nervous system. She couldn't think, she couldn't move, and she couldn't breathe. Her torso tingled with numbness as her eyes strained to look about, seeing mixed figures and shadows dancing about. She finally felt a breath escape her pale lips and the pain began to slip from the void in her chest. Crying out loudly in pain, the Walker's around her began to become even more ravenous as they smelt her blood pouring from her bullet wound. Crawling through the cold and damp leaves, Harli struggled to figure out where she was an exactly what she was doing.

See Walker's stumbling towards her tickled her mind with recognition.

Choking out in pain she pulled together whatever strength she had and staggered to her feet, hissing as she stood and took off running as fast as possible. Just out of the Walker's reach, they quickly began to trudge after her, following the sweet scent of her thick blood.

Realizing she wasn't running as fast as she thought, she hobbled down a hill, almost hitting a tree and slamming against the ground. The cool ground chilled her burning skin, and as heavenly as it felt, she knew she had to get going before she was an easy meal for the predators pursuing her. Realizing her pistol was gripped in her hand tightly, never to let go, she raised her torso and her feet found the ground once again. Her head began to spin and she gripped her wounded shoulder, the blood trickling out and leaving a trail behind her. She heard loud snarling and looked over her shoulder, seeing a few Walkers crawling on the ground, licking up her blood in desperation.

Whimpering with pain like a beaten dog, she forced her legs to a run when she noticed more Walkers were starting to hurry towards her from both her sides, closing in for the kill. She gritted her teeth and panted, her legs eating up the sudden adrenaline and beating her boots against the ground. Jumping over roots and logs, she saw a clearing in front of her.

But to her dismay, Walkers were beginning to block the forest exit.

With a last heave of strength she had, she growled in her throat and her legs pumped harder as she began to grow closer to their gnawing and slobbering jaws.

Shoving through, there were only a few feet of grass before she suddenly realized that the clearing was a cliff edge. Taking a deep breath, closing her eyes, and bounding her legs, she took the leap of faith, not knowing what waited for her below.

**o.o**

Daryl's bike sped down the highway with the throttle on full blast, Carol tucked on the seat behind him, her face cold and solemn. Down the road, Daryl met up with the blue Ford and the small green Chevy, each carrying Lori, Beth, T-Dog, Maggie, and Glenn. Rather worse for the wear, they finally met the crowd of abandoned cars and Daryl slowed significantly as he expertly weaved through the graveyard of vehicles, finally spotting the truck he was searching for.

Pulling into the median and to the other side of the highway, he spotted Rick, Hershel, and Carl standing behind the large Chevy. Shocked to see the sudden appearance of his group, Rick stepped out of the way as he pulled up, shutting off the bike and letting Carol off.

Rick walked up and greeted Daryl with a quick hand shake before running to Lori, grasping her in a tight hug. Everyone began to readjust themselves and greet each other, thankful that everyone was alright. Daryl stepped off his bike and looked around, waiting for another person to emerge from the large Chevy.

But alas, Harli's face did not emerge.

Swallowing a slight sense of guilt, Daryl's head flicked back over to Rick when he heard his voice, "Where'd you find everyone?"

"With this guy's taillight's zig zaggin' all over the road, figured he had to be Asian drivin' like that." Daryl joked, making a sense of relief wash over everyone when they smiled and laughed to themselves. Glenn laughed to himself and nodded,

"Good one."

"Where's the rest of us?" Daryl asked, wanting someone to respond to him on any of Harli's whereabouts. Everyone looked to each other and Rick was the first to speak,

"We're the only ones who made it so far…"

"Shane?" Lori stood up, trying to find an answer in her husbands clouded eyes. Rick looked down and shook his head, not saying a word. Glenn looked to Daryl,

"Andrea? And what about Harli I thought she was with you?"

"Andrea saved me then I lost her,"

"We saw her go down…" T-Dog said after Carol, his eyes lowering to the ground. Hershel looked to T-Dog,

"Patricia?"

"They got her too… I was-I was holdin' onto her, Daddy…" Beth curled up in Hershel's arms as she began to cry, the man having no words to reassure his daughter,

"What about Jimmy? Did you see him?"

"He was in the RV, it got overrun…" Rick said, looking over at Beth and Hershel. Carol gulped and looked at everyone,

"Harli… she sacrificed herself for Daryl and I to get away." Everyone looked to Carol and Daryl looked at the ground in slight shame. Glenn's eyebrows narrowed,

"W-wait? What do you mean she sacrificed herself… she didn't-"

"She made Carol get on the bike and she started to draw the Walkers away from us so we could get out of there. I tried getting' her on the bike, too, but she just kept sayin' that three wouldn't fit. Last time I saw her, she was drawin' off into the woods with a crazy herd on her tail." Daryl explained, his voice low and raspy. Rick put his head down, as well as a few of the others,

"Did anyone see Andrea get away?" Carol asked as she looked to Lori for an answer,

"There were Walkers everywhere…" She shook her head and Carol looked to everyone,

"Anyone? Did anyone see her?" All eyes adverted from Carol's giving her the answer she didn't want to hear. Daryl huffed and grabbed onto the handle bars of his bike,

"I'm goin' back, I need to."

"No." Rick stopped him and Daryl looked to Rick,

"We can't just leave her, or Harli. Damn girl just risked her life to save us! I can't let her die because of it!"

"We don't even know if they're there." Lori said and Rick answered her question quickly,

"They're not there, they're just not. They're somewhere else… or they're dead! There's no way to find them."

"So we're not even going to look for them? Rick… they're part of our group…" Glenn said while staring at him with sorrow at the thought of losing one of his good friends in the group.

"They're not dead, Rick." Daryl said in a rather calm tone. Rick looked to him, then back to Glenn,

"We've got to keep movin'. There'll be Walkers crawlin' all over here…"

"I say head east." T-Dog said while bouncing off the truck, staring over at Rick. Daryl sighed and walked to his bike, grabbing his crossbow as he spotted a Walker fast approaching them,

"Stay off the main roads. The bigger the road, the more Walkers and more assholes like this one." Raising his crossbow, he targeted the Walkers head in his sights and pulled the trigger, sending an arrow surging through the Walkers brain.

**o.o**

Harli's face burst through the veil of water above her head, gasping for air as she swung her arms around in the current, trying to stay above water. She floated down the stream and her feet began to bounce across the rocks underneath her. Her face dipped back under and she kicked, bringing her face back up as her mouth gaped for oxygen to caress her lungs.

Slowly, the current began to calm and become shallower by every foot. Harli floated on her back until she finally came to a halt, her back scraping up against a bay of soft stones. Her green eyes opened and she stared up at the sky, seeing the clouds littering the blue atmosphere. She moaned in pain that throbbed through her body, it being so unbearable she didn't want to move. Shooting herself was a stupid decision, but was one that saved her life in the end.

The water was so incredibly cold that Harli's body began to tremor with shivers uncontrollably. Her teeth chattered loudly and her eyelid's were slowly beginning to close and she fought it with every ounce of strength she had. Knowing that she was slowly, slowly succumbing to hypothermia, Harli leaned up, hissing in pain and gripping her shoulder as tightly as she could, trying to dull the pain. She panted and felt the back of her throat warming up as if she were going to cry, but her stomach jolted and she leaned over, throwing up whatever food and water that occupied her belly. Groaning, she reached her good arm over her shoulder, trying to feel where the exited wound was. She gasped when she felt a large lump on the other side of the entry wound, feeling that the bullet had exited her body, but not her skin.

Fearing that it could be lodged right back into her body with any more movement, Harli hesitantly reached for her knife. As she slid it out of the sheath on her belt, she got on her knees and hunched over, her breathing erratic as she reached the knife over her shoulder, finding the plug to her wound. Taking a deep breath and holding it, she gritted her teeth and stabbed the knife in under the bullet.

Crying out in intense pain, tears began to run uncontrollably from her face as she pried the bullet from her skin. Taking a quick break and huffing to catch her breath, she held another deep inhale and jerked the knife out, hearing a small clank behind her. With her hand shaking from both adrenaline and cold, she turned her head to see the bullet lying in the shallow waters, her blood slowly being consumed by the current to expose the beautiful silver. She grabbed her head with her hands and clawed at her face, feeling that the cliff edge she jumped off of into the river was a godsend.

Standing to her feet and finding her backpack on the shore next to her, she began to trudge through the shallow water, trying to find some sort of safe area where she could rest. She tore off her soaked jacket and ripped off a sleeve, tying it under her armpit and over her shoulder in a makeshift tourniquet. Blood soaked her black tank top and began to stain her pant leg, hoping she didn't hit a major artery during her escape.

Her fatigue was indescribable, the cold that took over her body was unbearable, and the pain she was enduring was indeed unspeakable. She gripped onto her arms in hopes of create heat for her body, but with each step she took, she was succumbing to her shivers and slowly losing her strength to carry on with her survival. Her soaking wet hair slapped her face in attempts to keep her awake, and she managed to keep on walking. She then noticed her skin was becoming pale, and she wondered if it was from blood loss or from the first stages of hypothermia. Her boots trudged through the shallow creek and she knew that following water would lead to some sort of sanction just out of her wounded reach.

Wanting to see everyone again, the group, and especially Daryl, made her legs shake with anticipation.

But it was soon lost. Her legs gave out and she fell to the ground, her face slamming into the wet sand as her vision became blurry. She choked out and swallowed a large lump down her throat, blood beginning to drip from her lips and stain the tan sand below her face.

Harli huffed and let her backpack go, the current slowly taking it away from her side. Harli swallowed a mouthful of blood, choking back and lifting her head, groaning in pain. Her legs and lungs burned like a phoenix being reborn. With the group coming into thought once again, she gritted her teeth and gripped onto a patch of river grass, pulling herself up from the water with one arm and whatever strength she had.

"I have to…. I have to…." She groaned to herself, seeing the salvation of land just out of her reach. Grabbing onto a large rock, her fingers clawed desperately at the boulder in attempts to pull her from the water.

Wheezing, her eyes strained up to the chain of trees, a soft wind blowing through the air and making her wet hair dance. The tree branches swung away from Harli and coaxed her as if they were telling her to keep crawling.

Her strength suddenly drained from her body and her hand went limp, falling off the rock. She curled her arm to her body as she began to convulse from the cold, her skin freezing and her body shaking uncontrollably. She gasped for air and stared up at the sky from the corner of her eyes, her hot cheeks slowly beginning to become cold from the sand. Her hands clenched into fists as she brought them to her body in attempts to keep her warm. But with soakings wet clothes, hair, and skin it was becoming more and more difficult to do so.

Slowly, her eyes began to close as she succumbed to her unconsciousness.

**o.o**

The group stopped on a stretch of highway by a creek and some old stone ruins. They were all tired, hungry, and still riled up from the farm incident. Rick decided they should all make camp there for the night and revamp in the morning to find supplies, gasoline, and hopefully, a new safe haven to inhabit.

Everyone unloaded whatever they had in the vehicle and carried it over behind the walls of the ruins. Carol and Lori began to build a fire to help warm everyone up and Maggie and Glenn did their best to find some food in the back of the Chevy. To their luck, Shane had left a small bag of supplies in the SUV and Glenn gratefully carried over and dropped it next to the campfire.

"We got some food here."

"Good, I'm really surprised that you at least found something." Lori said while stoking the fire. Maggie sat down next to Hershel and Beth, their little family clinging together in desperate survival.

No one would speak. The horrors of the night before replayed over, and over, and over again in everyone's minds. Staring at the large fire Carol and Lori managed to build seemed like the only pleasant thing they had experienced in the past few days.

Glenn heard a splash and stood up, looking over towards the large pool of water that drained at the bottom of a large rock wall. Knitting his eyebrows in confusion at seeing something floating in the water, he looked over at T-Dog, "Hey, there's something in the water over there. It just came over the wall."

"Really? What's it look like?"

"I don't know." T-Dog stepped forward as Glenn began to walk towards the small pool of water,

"Aye! We're goin' to check this out!" T-Dog called, alerting both Rick and Daryl. They glanced at each other and pursued after T-Dog and Glenn, curious as to see what they had discovered.

Glenn stopped on the outer rim of the disturbed pool of water, seeing barely visible red liquids swirling about the object, "It's a backpack…" Glenn grabbed the handle and pulled it out of the water. He twirled it around, staring at it closely, "Does this thing look familiar?"

"Yeah, and look, there's blood on it." T-Dog pointed at one of the straps on the bag, seeing blood staining the dark brown fabric,

"What'd you guys find?" Rick asked as he and Daryl stopped behind the two, Glenn turning around and lifting up the bag,

"A backpack?" Daryl asked slightly confused while narrowing his eyes. Glenn nodded,

"Yeah and it looks kinda familiar."

"There's blood. Do you think it floated down the river?" Rick asked and Daryl nodded, looking at the stone wall,

"Must've if it just magically appeared here. With that amount of blood, I don't think anyone would've made it far. I don't see no trail comin' from this pool neither."

"Should we go look up the river a ways? Someone could be hurt." Glenn asked and Rick looked to him with the shake of his head,

"I don't know about that. A Walker could've gotten a hold of them."

"Won't know until we go look. If there are Walkers, it'd be best to get rid of them now while we still got sunlight before they sneak up on us." Daryl vouched and Rick nodded in agreement,

"Alright. Glenn, T-Dog, you two stay here and watch over the group. Daryl and I will be right back. If we need help, we'll shoot once."

"Alright, sounds good." T-Dog and Glenn took the backpack and retreated back to camp. Rick looked over at Daryl and nodded, Daryl leading the way.

They crawled up the small rock wall and began to follow the creek. Their feet crunched on the rocks, their weapons drawn just in case they bumped into any unwanted surprises. Daryl looked about the ground to find any trace of movement or disturbance in the ground, but found none. Rick walked behind Daryl, looking out into the water, "We're not going to follow the entire creek up."

"I know I just want to find the source of this blood here," Daryl stopped and knelt down by the water, sticking his finger in the impure liquid, "It's gotta be close if the water hasn't washed it away yet."

Rick stared down at the sand as the crimson color began to stain it. Small trickles of water sounded through their ears as they continued on, weaving through the bushes that grew through the rocks of the banks by the water.

"What's that?" Rick asked while pointing towards the edge of the river bank. Daryl followed his pointed finger and narrowed his eyes when he spotted what Rick had seen. Walking towards it, he knelt down and lifted up the gun,

"This black shotgun…" He inspected it thoroughly and dumped out the water that occupied the barrel. Seeing more blood on the river bank, his eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Where the hell does this blood keep comin' from?"

"Daryl!" His head flicked around to Rick and Rick's blue eyes met him, "Over there, there's a body." Daryl stood quickly to his feet and the two readied their weapons, cautiously walking towards the ragged body half perched on land, half sunk if the shallow creek,

"Be careful, could be a Walker." Rick warned, pulling up his pistol just in case Daryl had missed. Their feet softly gripped the ground below them, soft crunching barely being able to be heard as rock turned to sand. Putting his sights on the head of the body, Daryl stopped a couple feet away, his eyes noticing odd similarities.

Narrowing his eyes, he leaned down for a closer inspection, the skin on the body cold and pale to the touch as he grabbed the shoulder and flipped it around, jumping up and aiming once again.

Both of their eyes widened and mouths dropped,

"It's Harli!" They both jumped to their knees on either side of her,

"Her lips are blue and cold to the touch… she might be-"

"She ain't." Daryl slipped his hands under her neck and legs lifting her small frame up without any effort. "We gotta get her back to camp, now." Daryl stated and Rick nodded, the two jogging back down the path they came. Their boots splashed and clashed against the water as they quickly made way back towards the tower of black smoke, and slowly, the stone ruins came into view. Rick quickened his pace and jumped from the rock wall, alerting the other group members as they stood up, staring at his sudden arrival.

"Rick!?"

"What's going on!?" Lori and Glenn called as Rick finally stopped in the camp,

"Get a bed ready, now!" He commanded and Lori and Maggie scrounged together a couple blankets, tossing them in the ground next to one of the walls. Daryl soon showed up with Harli's ragged body in his arms, still soaking wet from the cold creek,

"Who is that?" Carol asked while walking up and staring as Daryl softly layed her on the blankets,

"Harli?"

"Is that really her?" Glenn asked, seeing her pale skin and blue lips clashing with the image of her that he used to know.

"Hershel!" Rick looked to him, already seeing that he was up and standing over Harli. Kneeling down, he examined her skin,

"Found her in the creek bed?"

"She was clinging onto a bank." Daryl said while staring down at the old man's hands as he pressed his hands on her face,

"She's incredibly cold, and with her lips as blue as they are, I fear she's suffering from advance stages of hypothermia."

"There's blood on her shoulder… what is that?" Lori asked and Hershel's eyes trailed to it. Knitting his thick eyebrows, his hands hovered over the fabric tourniquet,

"What if she's bit?" Glenn asked the question everyone was thinking and Rick only lowered his head, staring at Hershel as he untied the ripped sleeve. Slowly pulling the bloody cloth away, he exposed the wound, watching as blood began to trickle out now that its path was unblocked. Hershel put his hand to his mouth, studying it,

"So? Does it look like a bite?" Carol asked, staring down at him. Hershel only shook his head while taking out a handkerchief and pressing it tightly against her wound,

"No, it's a gunshot wound."

"Gunshot wound?"

"How the hell did that happen?" Rick and Daryl looked to each other confusingly and then back down at Harli. Hershel pressed his index and middle finger up into her jugular, not moving a muscle as he felt for a sign of life. Sighing, he looked up at Rick,

"There's barely a pulse left in her. If the gunshot wound hasn't killed her yet, the hypothermia most certainly will."

"What do we do? We can't just leave her here to lie there and die without a fighting chance." Daryl asked and Hershel looked up at him, his eyes grim,

"I don't even know if she's going to make it before mornin'. If she is indeed sufferin' from advance stages of hypothermia, then her organs are already, if not they already are, shuttin' down. The only thing we can do is dress her wound, throw some clothes on her, and hope for the best." Daryl chewed on his lip nervously and looked to Rick once he spoke,

"If it comes to it and she does die… we all know what needs to be done."

"You mean shoot her?" Lori said while looking to her husband. Rick nodded and stared at the ground, his hands on his hips as he glanced at Harli. Daryl became slightly annoyed at those words,

"It ain't gonna happen. Her ass is too stubborn for that." Daryl took off his jacket and knelt down, placing it over Harli's torso in some hope that it would help the situation. Looking to Rick once again, Daryl's oceanic eyes were clouded with a hurricane,

"If she's dead by mornin', I want to be the one to plant that bullet in her head."


	22. Chapter 22

**3 Months into Winter**

Snow littered the air like ashes of a fire and accumulated slow and steadily on the ground. The air was crisp with a new winter morning and the wind whistled a tune softly through a small town. Windows were broken, doors hung off their hinges, and cars lied abandoned in the white sheet that was snow. A few Walkers straggled about the streets; their body's cold from the winter air that threatened to swallow them whole. Their limbs struggled to sway as they moved about the streets of deserted homes, searching for any sign of movement for the chance to eat.

Noisy engines slowly crept through the air as the tirs crunched against the ground, crushing the snow into thin sheets as they rolled about. The three vehicles all ran together in a tight caravan and their tires began to slow once they entered the small town. The vehicles shifted into four wheel drive and they swerved around the cars in the middle of the streets, trying to find a sanctuary to hold up for the night.

Finally, the vehicles came to a stop and the engines died quickly, the hot exhaust no longer fogging the air. The doors cracked open and boots thudded soundlessly against the few inches of snow that shrouded the concrete.

"Keep your eyes open… just because the cold has slowed down the Walkers doesn't mean that they won't try to overrun us." Rick's southern licked voice broke through the silence as he looked to his members of the group. Daryl, T-Dog, Glenn, Maggie, Hershel, and Carl all stared back at them.

"Carl, Hershel, you two stay here and watch out for the girls. The rest of us are gonna go scout out this house back here, pop off a shot if you need us." Rick nodded towards a small house with a barn out back. No one argued with his demands and Rick took that as a cue to lead his group into the house. Hershel looked back at the vehicles, seeing Lori sitting in the passenger's seat of his old Chevy and watching as Rick entered the house.

"Hershel." He heard Carl whisper and looked down at the young boy, seeing him pointing down the road. Hershel looked over to see a few Walkers approaching them very slowly, scratching up against the cars that stood in their way. Hershel gripped his machete tightly as he walked forward,

"Let's make sure they don't disturb us tonight." Hershel's whisper was the only thing audible among the silent winter air. Carl nodded and the two pursued after the Walkers. With a few swings of his machete, the Walker's plummeted heedlessly to the snowy ground. Hershel watched as their blood stained the innocent snow, hearing the soft snaps of Carl's silenced pistol sending bullets through the brains of the undead.

The older man turned around to see Rick and the others walking casually from the house they had scouted. He whistled towards Carl and nodded his head back towards the caravan of vehicles, quickly moving his boots through the shallow snow.

"It's secure?" Carol asked as she watched Rick approach. Rick nodded with authorization and opened the back door to Hershel's old Chevy, yanking out a few bags and tossing them to the ground.

The back door to the silver Dodge that they acquired opened slowly and a small boot popped out and pressed against the ground weakly. Keeping her footing solid as she held her weight against the door, Harli stepped meekly out and her eyes squinted from the sudden whiteness of the snow. She groaned and pulled the blanket around her shoulders tight against her skin, yanking her backpack off the backseat. The sudden weight of it threw her off balance and she panned up against the cold steel of the truck.

"I told you not to get out until I got back here." She looked up when she heard Daryl's scruffy voice aim itself towards her. He stared down at her with his blue eyes, leaning down and grabbing her heavy backpack from off the ground. Shouldering both it and his crossbow, he shut the door to the truck.

"I didn't want to be in that truck anymore." Her voice was soft and frail from the pain in her body. The gunshot wound she suffered from was still not completely healed and her weak immune system constantly made her sick. Daryl's eyes took notice to her shivering skin and he quickly stripped off his jacket,

"Here, take this."

"No, Daryl, I'll be fine-" He yanked the blanket off her and slid his jacket over her shoulders, silencing her with the sudden heat. His warm skin incubated the jacket and she shuddered from the sudden warmth, gripping onto the flaps and pulling it closed. Her eyes were thankful as she stared back at him,

"Come on, there's a bed in there with your name on it." Daryl nodded towards the house and picked up his crossbow and her backpack, walking through the midst of their busy group. Harli coughed a few times before stepping after him, trying to keep up with his moderate pace. She flashed a few smiles with Rick, Maggie, and Hershel as she stumbled by, pulling Daryl's jacket tight once she began to shiver again.

Her thumbs rubbed up against the soft leather of Daryl's biking jacket and a flash of the angel wings burned through her eyes. Harli quickened her pace to catch up with Daryl, cautiously stepping up the snowy steps of the path leading into the house. Her foot caught an edge and she tripped, sliding across the snow and feeling the stinging cold of ice eating at her skin.

"Are you alright!?" She felt warm hands on her shoulders and turned to meet Maggie's green eyes, seeing her crouching down to help Harli to her feet. "Give me your hand." Harli gripped Maggie's hand tightly and her weak muscles strained to get back to her feet. With whatever sickness she was suffering from, it made her very weak and tired.

"Is she okay?" Harli heard Glenn walk up behind them and Maggie nodded,

"Yeah, just fell down."

"Get that jacket back on her before she gets any sicker." Harli looked down to see Daryl's jacket lying helplessly in the snow. She pouted and Maggie quickly retrieved the jacket, smacking all the powdered snow off and resting it over her forearm. The jacket has succumbed to the snow's wetness and was no longer useful in warming Harli's skin.

Harli leaned on Maggie as the country girl helped her towards the house, making sure each step she took was solid. The falling snow kissed Harli's skin with a freezing aftertaste as she finally reached the house, her hands and arms beginning to tremor from the cold night that was fast approaching.

"Daryl, she fell down in the snow. You need to get her in the bed fast before she gets any colder. It's not helping her sickness." Daryl turned around and saw Harli's shaking figure and quickly gripped her shoulder softly, helping her into the house. Harli looked over her shoulder with a feeble smile,

"Thanks Maggie."

"Come on you." Daryl said gruffly while pulling her along into the dark house and through a thin hallway. He pushed open a door and led her in, Harli staring around the chaotic room as she stopped at the edge of the large bed. There were clothes strung out all over the place, the curtains were disheveled, and a few blood stains on the walls and carpet. But the bed, it was so promising that Harli didn't even care at that moment. Her shivering demeanor only enticed her towards the mattress and her wet, cold hands rubbed her arms for warmth unsuccessfully.

Harli watched as Daryl yanked back the sheets and moved out of her way as she approached the bedside. She sat down and sighed in relief at the comfort of the bed, ignoring her shaking body for a few moments.

Feeling a set of incredibly warm hands latch onto hers, she opened her eyes to see Daryl knelt down in front of her. He cupped her hands in his and breathed slowly onto her skin, trying to warm her hands up. Goosebumps fluttered up her arms as his hot breath managed to break through her cold flesh. His lips made her hands tingle and his presence made her feel utterly secure. She curled her fingers and he looked up into her green eyes,

"Thanks… for taking care of me." She whispered and he slowly dropped their hands into her lap, staring into her eyes. He caught himself quickly and stood back to his feet,

"Thought I'd give the women some sort of a break. They been takin' care of you ever since you woke up." Harli pouted and her eyes stared up at him weakly,

"I don't want to be the one with the luxury of sleeping in a comfortable bed tonight… you should take it. You deserve it after all you do."

"Yeah? Well tough." He reached down and grabbed her backpack, hauling it onto the bed next to her. Unzipping it, he stared in and rummaged about until finding what he was looking for. Harli felt him set down an article of clothing on her lap and she looked down, running her hand over the soft mesh of a pair of sweats and a black long sleeved shirt.

"Get on some fresh clothes and go to sleep. If you need anything just holler… I'll be right outside." He wheeled around on his boot heel and his soft footsteps faded towards the door. Harli smiled when she heard him shut it quietly behind him and she looked back down at the clothing on her lap. She reached for the button of her jeans and peeled them off quickly and put on her sweats. Her shirt was neck and she yanked it off over her head, hissing when the dirty medical tape on her gunshot wound threatened to peel of her skin.

She grunted and pressed the tape back down against her shoulder, sighing and doing her best to put on the long sleeve without too much movement on her left side. It took her a few moments but she managed to pull on the tight shirt, letting out a breath of satisfaction. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the hard pillow of the bed, instantly passing out from pure exhaustion.

**~*:*~**

Harli was asleep, but she wasn't asleep at the same time. She could make out soft tones of voices outside her door and the sparky crackle of a small fire her group must have been crowded around. She remembered seeing a fireplace in the living room as she passed it briefly with Daryl, but she couldn't be for certain. Her body began to shake uncontrollably from the chills of her sickness, even though she was under two sets of sheets with sweats hanging from her legs and a long sleeve clinging to her arms. Her green eyes could barely make out the features of the room as the sun had already set. She saw the soft kisses of falling snow press up against the window, trying to get in.

Scratchiness erupted in her throat and she began to cough heavily and uncontrollably. She struggled to breathe through the fits of commotion and her sternum became sore. She rubbed her chest and leaned over the bed, clenching her eyes shut once a dreadful migraine began to claim victory in her brain.

"You alright there?" She failed to hear the door open and soft boot steps move into the room. She felt a warm hand slide up between her shoulder blades and sighed when she heard Rick's comforting voice.

"Yeah just… hanging in there." She watched as he knelt down in front of her; her eyebrows knitting with confusion as she stared at the unknown objects in his hand. She rubbed her arms and her eyes still held fatigue,

"How is everyone?"

"Tired. We're gonna hold up here for as long as we can. There weren't a whole lot of Walkers when we came in so I'm hopin' it'll stay that way." He placed a large bottle of water on her lap and she grabbed it without hesitation. While uncapping it, Rick nodded and softly smiled, "Hopefully we can get you out and about tomorrow. You could use a good walk and the fresh air will do your lungs nicely." Harli turned her head to the side with a quick cough,

"I brought you some food here… eat up and drink as much as you can." Rick stood back to his feet and Harli stared blissfully at the little amount of food on the paper plate. She looked up at Rick with a smile,

"Thanks for not giving up on me, Rick." He placed his hands on his hips and nodded at her with gratitude,

"I'm not willin' to give up on anyone so easily. You're alive and that's all that matters." Rick walked towards the door and stopped in the doorway, his hand on the handle as he aimed to pull it shut.

"Daryl, Glenn, and T went out scavenging at the general store we passed on the way in. They should be back soon and I made positive to Daryl that finding you medication is top priority."

"Thanks…"

She mumbled and he shut the door quietly behind him. She looked down at the food he brought her as his footsteps faded down the hallway: some canned green beans, a couple carrots, and pieces of left over deer meat from a couple days before. One thing was for sure, the food they kept in the back of the Dodge pickup didn't go bad. The winter air was cold enough to preserve the food, especially vegetables and meat from hunting.

She eagerly took the bottle of water and chugged down the bottle until it was almost empty. Her hand reached at the food greedily and she ate it all in one swoop, taking no time to savor the intensity of eating. But as she ate too fast, the strong amount of food in her little belly began to make it ache and nauseas. She groaned and placed the plate down on a dirty table, lying back down in the bed to make her food settle.

She began to shiver once again and yanked the covers over her body to try and generate heat. Her knees drew to her chest desperately and she closed her eyes to induce sleep. A few discontent grumbles came from her stomach and she hissed in pain, her stomach beginning to contract with soreness. Letting out a strained sigh, she turned over in the bed and pressed her face into her hands.

Her eyes suddenly flicked open and the room was darker than before. She realized that she had gone back to sleep but didn't know exactly for how long. Harli held her labored breath and tried to listen for voices down the hallway, but there weren't any. The only thing she could hear was the crackle of the dying fire in the living room, hopefully where everyone was sleeping soundly with warmth and good dreams. They deserved that much.

Harli stared at the wall and picked up the familiar sound of a heavy set of boots making way down the hallway. They slowed down next to her room and she glanced over the blankets at the door, watching it creak open.

"You awake?"Harli didn't realize he had made it to the side of the bed in two wide steps, but she turned over when she heard Daryl whisper softly. He took her movement as an indication that she was awake and sat down on the edge of the bed. Harli leaned up with a huff and she gripped her sore stomach, staring at him in the darkness. She could barely make out his scruffy face, but those striking blue eyes managed to pierce through the veil of black.

"Here, I found some ibuprofen and a small bottle of hydros. The pharmacy was pretty much cleaned out so use them wisely." She felt his hand peel open her fingers and drop two pills in the palm of her hand. Uncapping a fresh water bottle, her other fingers wrapped around it and she took no time in tossing the bitter pills in her throat and swallowing them with a refreshing mouthful of water. Daryl lifted his hand and pushed it under her bangs across her clammy forehead, feeling her head boiling under his touch.

"Pretty nasty fever."

"Thanks Dr. Daryl…" She smiled and Daryl snorted with a small laugh, shaking his head. Her hand slipped over his and he could feel her trembling, "You should go get some sleep. Don't worry about me anymore I'll be fine with those meds in my belly."

"You're shakin' again." She heard the discontent frown in his voice and she sighed, half regretting touching him. She knew that he wouldn't sleep soundly until she was completely comfortable and well cared for, not leaving her side like the loyal dog he was.

"Still cold?" He asked curiously and Harli nodded, crossing her arms and beginning to shiver once again.

"Even with the blankets… but I'll fall back asleep eventually. Hershel said the best medicine for me right now is sleep so I guess that's all I can do for now."

"Well, I'll stay here to keep you plenty company until then and I'll try to keep you warm." In the darkness, she felt him shift on the bed and heard his crossbow clank down on the old wooden floor. His boots thumped heavily onto the floor and she knew that he had taken them off. Her shoulder dipped and the bed sunk in next to her, her heart thumping wildly against her chest and sent surges on anxiety pumping along with her blood. _He was in the bed with her._

"I don't want you to get sick, Daryl."

_Don't be so willing to get rid of him. Daryl Dixon is in the bed with you. Why do you have to be sick?_

"Don't you worry bout me. Now do you wanna get warm or not?"

Harli didn't know what to do at that moment. It was awkward for her, but something she had hoped for this moment for a while. He was lying next to her, willing to let her feed off his heat, and he wanted to make her feel secure. She was fearful, but those feelings she held for him finally manage to break her confinement. She lied down and wrapped an arm around his chest, lifting her head when he shifted his arm under her neck, allowing her to lay her face just below his chin. She pressed her legs up against his and his unimaginable warmth flooded into her core like a waterfall.

She sighed with relief and her shaking body relaxed. Daryl clasped his hands together behind his head, smirking slightly when he felt her shivers subside and her body suck tightly to his. He didn't care that she was a being a sponge, he liked the fact that he was doing her justice by keeping her cared for properly. She did a lot for him when she didn't realize it, and when she disappeared, he was scared for the first time in a long time.

Even though she jumped off a cliff, floated miles and miles down a frozen river, shot herself to get away from a Walker, and passed out on the bank, she managed to find herself back to the group.

Her labored breathing calm and he knew that the pain pills were slowly making her go to sleep. Her fingers softly trailed down from his chest to his abdomen; half wishing he had taken his shirt off to enjoy the caress of her fingernails. She dug her face into his chest and tightly gripped him favorably, Daryl glancing down at her through the dark. He didn't know much about nestling like this with a woman, and it made him slightly uncomfortable.

He felt her hand on his cheek and her torso creep up on his, feeling her face hovering over his. Her deep brown hair tickled his cheeks as her thumb caressed over his scruffy facial hair. He leaned his head up and pressed his warm lips against hers, sliding his hand up her back and pushing her against him. He rolled her around to her back where he hovered over her,

"I'm sorry… I don't know what got into me." She breathed and Daryl couldn't help but smirk, wanting _so, so_ bad to proceed on. He had to fight himself to keep from overwhelming her condition because of his desires and his sane side almost lost. With a displeased grunt, he lied back down on his side and took a deep breath to calm himself. A bed, with her in it no less, was no place to be. But he was willing to test his boundaries.

"Don't worry bout it… it was worth it."


	23. Chapter 23

**4 months into Winter**

"Check the surrounding area and the houses next to us; I don't wanna get cornered like we did a few days ago." Rick's southern licked accent filtered through everyone's ears and as he wandered up the steps to an old town house. Daryl and Glenn followed after him like loyal servants to a broken king, their weapons ready for any Walkers to jump out at them.

"Let's take that house over there." Carl suggested as he looked up at Harli's apple-green eyes. Her deep chocolate hair blew about in the soft wind that happened to chance by as she looked back down at Carl with a nod.

"Alright, let's go." The two trudged off from the group, their boots heavily crushing the helpless snow below their feet. Harli slowly pulled an arrow from her makeshift quiver and docked it on her bowstring, Carl leading the way with his silenced pistol raising as he made way towards the broken down front door.

He stepped through the shambles and Harli pulled back her bowstring back, ready to fire it as soon as a decaying face crossed her path. Carl stepped into another room and Harli took another, the two simultaneously checking the house for stray Walkers. A chill ran up Harli's spine through Daryl's warm, comfortable jacket when her ears picked up a groggy and unwelcoming sound. She slid up against a wall and peeked over the side, seeing two Walkers swaying about in the kitchen. She took a deep breath, letting it out quietly and rushing around the corner, barely taking aim.

With unskilled expertise, the arrow whirled through the closest Walkers brain, bringing it down with a loud thud. A snarled erupted from the other Walker and it quickly sprang towards Harli with a vengeance. Harli lowered her bow and yanked out her knife, lifting her hand and plunging it into the Walkers eye. It slammed to the ground and Harli stepped over it, walking into the kitchen and seeing the room in shambles.

Laying her bow down on the counter, she pulled her backpack off her shoulders and opened a cupboard above her. She searched through numerous cupboards, barely finding any food other than a few cans of tuna, soup, and vegetables. It wasn't much, but it was enough to have some sort of feast tonight. Hopefully the others had some better luck in the other houses.

She heard a shuffle and turned around, lifting her knife in pure attack mode. She halted upon seeing Carl staring at her with his bright blue eyes, his face a bit hesitant to approach her. Letting out a held breath, Harli dropped her hand to her side and nodded in acknowledgment at the prepubescent teen.

"Any luck?" He asked while walking up, eyeballing the cans she was preparing to put in her bag. With a sigh, Harli turned back around and watched Carl grab a can of green beans,

"Not much, but it's something I guess."

"Better than the stale crackers we've all been living off for the last two days." He smiled, looking up at her from under his sheriff's hat. Harli nodded and Carl began putting the cans in her backpack,

"I'm really glad you're not sick anymore. It didn't look like it was any fun."

"No it wasn't. It was very horrible." Harli laughed and helped him put the cans of food in her backpack. Zipping it up, she threw it back over her shoulders and adjusted Daryl's jacket, looking down at Carl and putting her hand on his shoulder.

"It's a good thing Daryl was there most of the way." Carl said as the two exited the house and stood on the porch for a moment. Harli looked over at the neighboring building, seeing everyone already unloading their supplies into the house. Her eye caught Daryl as he carried a large sleeping bag and duffle in each of his strong arms, the tips of his brightly colored poncho flapping in the wind. "When are you guys gonna kiss anyways?"

"Dear Lord Carl we have more important things to focus on." Harli rolled her eyes and fluttered down the steps with Carl following quickly in tow. He smiled while still on her heels,

"I think you're overdue."

"When are you gonna kiss Beth?" Harli whirled around, raising her eyebrows and smirking after seeing his reaction to her question. She saw a childlike blush at the sound of Beth's name crawl its way up on Carl's cheek. With a laugh, Harli wheeled around on her heel triumphantly and strode towards the busy group.

"Catch Harli!" Harli's eyes found a sleeping bag careening towards her through the air and her arms quickly jumped out in front of her, catching it flawlessly. Her eyes found T-Dog's, who laughed and nodded his head,

"Your reflexes are comin' around pretty good." Harli couldn't help but smile as she walked up to T, grabbing a bag from the tailgate of Hershel's old Chevy. She stopped in the walk way and stared at the silver Dodge Ram, seeing Daryl's poor, retired motorcycle strapped down in the bed of the truck.

"A sight for sore eyes, ain't it?" That raspy voice she came to know and love caressed her ears and she felt the heaviness of the bag in her hand lifted. He shouldered the strap as Harli looked over at him, seeing the roaming look in those eyes of his. He took a nostalgic sigh as he glared at the motorcycle, hating to see it in the back of the truck and not on the road under his bed, "Damn shame it's gotta snow so much."

"Snow won't be around for much longer; at least you have something to look forward to." She smiled and walked past him, his eyes trailing after her and watching as she disappeared into the house.

'_There's a lot I look forward to.' _Harli set down the sleeping bag and watched as her group huddled next to a small fireplace, Glenn trying to start a fire with the weak firewood already piled in. She pulled her backpack off and fell to her knees next to Maggie, pulling out the numerous cans of food she had found in the abandoned house. Sliding them across the floor, the survivors stared at them greedily as if they hadn't seen food in days.

"Hope there's enough for everyone… it's all I could find."

"We found some food in the other house, too." Maggie said with a smile and Harli looked to her thoughtfully, seeing a large bin of oatmeal and aged fruit in jars right next to her. A smile crept across Harli's face; they were going to eat like apocalyptic royalty tonight.

She watched as Glenn desperately tried to start a fire, his matches barely taking to the cold wood in the pit. He sighed and dropped his head in defeat, running a hand through his raven black hair. Maggie rubbed his shoulder reassuringly and Glenn looked back at her with a soft smile. Harli quickly got to her feet and stared down at the two love birds,

"Is there any wood left in the back of the Chevy?" Glenn looked up at Harli brightly and nodded,

"Yeah, I think there should be a little bit left."

"Wanna help me out, Carl?" Carl looked up at her with a nod and got to his feet, walking past Harli towards the front door. Harli hesitated for a moment when she caught Daryl's eye, smiling once he watched him nod at her. Sheepishly, she walked out the door already seeing Carl opening the tailgate to the large, silver truck. She half waited for Daryl to walk out after her, but after a few moments, she knew that he was even more tired and hungry than she was, maybe even more than Rick.

She walked over to the Dodge and stared in through the tailgate, seeing Carl had climbed in the back of the truck. He rummaged around under a large blanket; gather whatever firewood there was and stacking it at the end. Harli leaned on the tailgate and waited for him to get finished, crossing her arms and chewing on her lip.

"Don't knock that bike over, you know Daryl will have a cow."

"Yeah, yeah, I know!"He called from under the blanket, making Harli smile at his tone. The firewood clunked together in a pile at the end of the tailgate and Harli avoided the stray wood that threatened to attack her. She leaned back up once she knew there was enough, feeling a cold wind brush up against her back and cause her hair to tickle her cheeks.

"Don't move!" Harli's eyes widened and she felt something hard press up between her shoulder blades. The voice was unfamiliar to Harli's ears, making fear slowly begin to filter up through her throat. "Put your hands up, and I swear if you move, I'll blow that heart of yours right out of your chest." Harli gulped and quickly complied, slowly raising her hands in the air,

"Carl…" She watched as he threw the blanket off of him, equal fear in his eyes upon seeing two men standing behind Harli, their guns pointed at them.

"Get over here kid."

"Hurt him and I swear-"

"You're in no position to talk." One of them jabbed the barrel of their assault rifle against her back, making her grunt and flinch from the jarring pain. Carl slowly crawled out of the bed of the truck, the other man grabbing his arm and yanking him out into the snow.

"Let go of me!" Carl demanded while thrashing about in the man's tight grasp, trying to get away. He smacked Carl across the face, silencing him briefly. Harli gritted her teeth and turned abruptly, grabbing at her knife in the sheath on her belt, but the man behind her grabbed her by the hair and pressed his pistol against her temple.

"Don't even try it. Scream and I'll kill you and the kid!"

"What do you want?" Harli asked, feeling the tip of his pistol trail down from her head down under her jaw. The man's hold was rough and she could feel his hot breath in her ear, making her shudder with disgust.

"Whatever you have. Where's the rest of your group?"

"It's just me and the kid." She lied through her teeth, looking down at the red mark forming steadily on Carl's face. His face was riddled with fear, yet his bravery was unwavering, making Harli's heart drop.

"As if… these vehicles weren't here before and I followed your tracks in the snow from the outskirts of town. How many of you are there!?"

"Too many for you to handle." Carl growled and the man looked back down at him, seeing the seriousness in his face. He huffed and nodded at his partner,

"Get in the truck; we're leaving before they ever notice you two are gone!" The man yanked at Harli's head and shoved her towards the passenger's door behind the driver's seat. He pulled open the door and threw her in, quickly jumping into the driver's seat and starting the truck with keys he had fished out of Harli's jacket pocket unknowingly. The engine roared to life and he threw the truck into gear,

"Dad! Dad!" Harli's heart thumped against her chest as she heard Carl's frantic cries while he was being dragged across the ground. The back door whipped open and the other man threw Carl in, his head slamming against Harli's ribs. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and helped him sit up in the seat, hearing the door to the front passenger's seat slamming shut.

"Carl!?" The man slammed on the accelerator once hearing Rick's voice bellow through the air. Harli watched as Rick and Daryl ran from the front door of the house after them as the truck had peeled out in the snow, barreling down the empty street.

"Drive you idiot!" The man in the passenger's seat shouted, his partner trying to gain control of the wheel through all the slush and snow on the road. The man in the passenger's seat turned around the seat and pointed his gun at Harli's head,

"Give me your knife, now." Slowly, Harli reached down and pulled her knife out, handing it to the anticipating man. He tossed it on the floorboard and then pointed his gun at Carl,

"Any weapons, kid?" Carl shook his head solemnly and Harli looked to the stranger,

"He's just a kid; he doesn't know how to use any weapons."

"You shut your mouth I wasn't talking to you."

"Where are you taking us?" Carl asked and the man looked back at him, seeing the offset look in Carl's eyes. He scoffed and shook his head with a smile,

"You two are gonna have fun back at our camp."

**.:=:.**

Harli stared at the surrounding men that meandered about the large backyard of a house, piling wood upon wood in the fire pit. This group maybe was about seven strong, no women, no children. A few stepped out of the house that connected to the yard, eyeballing her as they walked by and speaking in hushed tones accompanied by smiles. They all had some pretty heavy artillery, making Harli a bit uneasy if the group decided to send out a search party for her and Carl. She knew they weren't too far from where Rick decided to hold up, maybe a few neighborhoods over.

But kidnapping Harli and Carl probably wasn't the best idea on their part. Rick and Daryl must be furious.

Harli could feel her hands going numb from the rope tied tightly around her wrists. She and Carl were tethered to a pole in the backyard near the house. The worst part was sitting in the snow. The freezing cold of the snow below their rumps made their cores shake with bitterness.

"You okay Carl?" Harli mumbled, looking down at the bruise forming on his red cheeks. He looked up at her reassuringly, nodding his head. Harli glanced at the men chatting around the fire and then back to Carl, "You still have your knife?"

"I slipped it in my sleeve while we were still in the truck." Harli couldn't help but smile at his thoughtfulness, knowing how far he had come, like her, as a viable member of the group. She watched his arms fumble as the knife made way down his sleeve towards his hands.

"Got it." He whispered and Harli heard the snap of the knife opening and cautiously looked back at the fire, seeing that the men hadn't taken notice to Carl scrambling. Harli scanned the tall fencing as Carl worked on cutting his ropes, searching for some type of weakness they could escape, if possible. Harli looked back down at Carl,

"When you're done try to cut mine without them noticing. We'll run for the latched part of the gate right there. The guy was dumb enough to leave the keys in the engine of the truck; we can get out of here." Just as she finished speaking she watched Carl shift and lean back, feeling his knife sawing at the tight bindings around her wrist. She glanced back over to see one of the men turning around and walking towards them. As inconspicuously as she could, she turned her head to try and warn the boy wonder,

"Carl!"

"Almost done!" He grunted and Harli watched as the man drew closer, his eyes narrowing when he noticed Carl leaning back. Finally, Harli felt her hands free and she jolted her wrists apart,

"Hey! What're you-!" Harli lurched up from her sitting position and rammed her head into the man's stomach, landing on top of him as he hit the ground. Carl instantly ran towards the latched part of the gate, yanking open the latch and looking back at Harli. She threw her fist into the man's cheek and reached down to his belt, pulling his pistol from the holster and jumping to her feet.

"Run Carl!" Harli ran after him as he bounded out of the gate, the rest of the group of men running after them with their guns, a couple checking on their knocked out friend on the ground. Harli threw her hands up over her head upon hearing exploding gunshots aimed for her. She raced to the truck and ripped open the driver's side door, a slight twinge of relief running through her veins upon seeing Carl safe in the passenger's seat.

She turned the keys quickly and shoved the truck in drive, slamming her foot down on the gas pedal and watching as the rest of the man's group flooding from the back yard with their guns raised. The truck struggled against the slushy snow, but knowing its inhabitants were in danger, the wheels finally managed to grasp the road and barrel down the street.

Harli panted as she heard gunshots slam up against the back end of the truck. She turned the wheel and went down a new street, glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one was coming after them. With a deep breath, Harli rested the back of her head on the headrest.

"That was kinda fun." She heard Carl say and looked down at him with a risen eyebrow. Looking back over her shoulder, she grunted and retreated her eyes back through the windshield,

"Yeah, well I don't think were out of the woods just quite yet."

As if on cue, she heard a blaring horn of another vehicle vastly approaching them. She and Carl both looked through the back window, seeing an equal sized truck speeding towards them. Harli yanked the wheel and the truck skidded down another road, feeling Daryl's motorcycle in the bed of the truck shift. Her heart lunged; that was another thing she didn't want anything happening to.

"Harli!" Carl's warning came too late and Harli's chest slammed into the steering wheel, knocking the breath out of her for a few moments. She looked over and saw Carl, recovering from being slammed against the dashboard. Her foot pressed the gas pedal down to the floor, hoping that there was some way the truck could go faster and avoid being slammed into again. The two survivors slammed against the head of the truck again, Harli feeling her lungs skipping a beat.

With one last final slam, the back end of the truck started to swerve and Harli did her best to control the wheel. But with the snow working against both her control and the tires, the truck spun in a circle and slammed against a large mound of snow dumped by a neighboring tree. Harli felt blood trickling from her forehead and looked up, seeing that her head had crashed against the head of the steering wheel. She quickly thought fast and put the truck in reverse, but only heard the engine roar as it refused to move.

She looked down at Carl, seeing him mostly unhurt, but shaken up by the reverberations of the two trucks slamming together. She looked over the back of her seat, yanking the keys from the ignition upon seeing the men parking behind them. She looked down at Carl and scrambled for the pistol she had stolen from the militia man.

"What do we do?" She heard the strain in Carl's voice and looked to him, seeing the frightened look in his blue eyes. Her green eyes mirrored them and they both knew that if they got caught they most surely would be executed.

"We run." She commanded, pulling the slide back on the pistol to check if it was loaded. Carl grabbed the door handled,

"Are you sure?"

"This road is loaded with abandoned cars. We can take cover from them as we run. We _have_ to find out way back to your dad and the others." Harli looked over the seat and saw three men jumping out of their truck, slowly approaching Harli and Carl with their guns raised. With one quick breath she looked back down at Carl,

"I'm going to jump out and draw them away. Once their attention is on me, find cover!" She slapped the pistol down in Carl's hand and he opened his mouth to protest, but Harli had already whipped open the driver's door and jumped out. Bullets already sprayed about and Harli threw her hands up, jumping behind a car and hearing the bullets piercing its metal siding. She panted and looked up, seeing Carl running behind a car and closing her eyes, she thought quickly at the next plan.

She crawled up behind a window and stared through the dirt and blood that clattered the glass. The men were quickly closing in on them and Harli crouched to her knees, waiting for the right moment to run back towards Carl. Clenching her jaw, she looked down and quickly formed a snowball.

_1, 2, 3…_

She jumped up and pelted one of the men square in the face, knocking him back a few steps. He shouted profanities and Harli took that moment to move, jumping over the back end of a car and sliding to a stop. More bullets shouted through the stale air, making Harli's ears ring as she leaned down closer to the street, making sure there was no chance she could get hit by a bullet.

_Psst!_

Harli looked over to see Carl poking his head over the hood of a car, waving his hand towards him. Harli's hand burned against the freezing snow, but she stayed on her hands and feet, crawling through the maze of cars back towards Carl.

"You alright?" He asked and Harli nodded, looking back through the window of the car, knelt down. She felt cold steel against her hand and saw Carl pressing it into her shaky palms.

"You're a better shot with one hand, you should carry it." He whispered and Harli gripped the handle of the pistol, staring at it for a moment and nodding. She put her hand on Carl's shoulder and opened her mouth to speak, but stopped upon hearing a very familiar sound. Carl's eyes widened along with hers and the two looked up over the hood of the car behind them, seeing Hershel's Chevy stopping a fair distance away from them.

"Rick…" Harli breathed and looked back through the window of the car, seeing the men had quickly sucked behind a couple cars, their guns propped up and aiming at the Chevy. She glanced back down at Carl, who waited patiently to hear her plan. "Alright… we crawl behind the car behind us and when I say go, we'll make a straight shot back to your dad. He's not that far away and we need to run as fast as we can."

"Sounds good." Carl nodded and she made him go first, crawling after him through the thick snow behind a large truck. Harli put her hand up and raised a finger, her lips breathing a countdown and Carl crouched onto his feet, watching as her fingers counted to three.

Carl jumped to his feet and ran towards Hershel's old Chevy, Harli not far behind him and using herself as a human shield in case the men decided to start firing. She gasped when she heard their assault rifles blazing at them, hearing and feeling bullets brushing past them as they ran.

"Carl! Harli! Over here!" Rick's voice managed to pierce her ears through the loud explosions of the rifles. Harli looked up as she struggled to run through the snow, seeing Rick waving his hand behind a car in front of the Chevy. She gritted her teeth once hearing the bullets too close for comfort and grabbed Carl, rolling over the hood of a car and slamming to the ground on the other side. Carl lied on top of her and she panted, feeling warmth rising on her hand.

Her hand hovered over her face and she gasped upon seeing blood staining her fingers. She grew confused when she felt no pain in her body, and wondered quickly where the blood had come from. Her heart stung and she leaned up, hearing Carl groaning as she leaned him up against the car. He gripped his arm and she saw fresh blood staining his jackets.

She flinched and looked over her shoulder, hearing Rick returning cover fire behind them to ensure that Harli and Carl would be safe. Her attention returned back to Carl's wound and she unzipped his jacket, peeling it off his chest and researching the laceration. She sighed in relief,

"Thank God..." The bullet only grazed him and the wound would only need a few stitches to close up. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a bandana, wrapping it tightly around Carl's arm. He hissed with slight pain and huffed, pulling his jacket back on over himself. But their bad luck didn't stop from there.

In an instant, a boot slammed into her face and knocked her on her back. She leaned up to watch an arm wrap around Carl's neck and tear him to his feet with a gun to his head. Harli pointed her pistol at the man, staring fearfully into his face as he smiled at her wickedly.

"Guess your friends didn't make it in time!" He laughed and watched as his finger went for the trigger and upon reflex, hers beat him to it.

The man fell back into the snow with a cry and Carl fell to his knees, crawling backwards towards Harli. Harli saw blood trickling through the man's pants, seeing as she hand shot him in the thigh. He rolled around painfully, gripping tightly at his leg and shouting out in pain. She heard a shuffle of snowy footsteps behind her and Carl looked up,

"Are you two alright!?" Harli leaned her head back against the snow once she heard Rick's voice, panting in relief and dropping the gun. She felt a warm hand on her chin and opened her eyes, seeing Daryl hovering over her and studying the broken skin on her head.

"You hit?" The words rolled bitterly off his tongue and Harli shook her head. He grabbed her hand and helped her to her feet, dusting the snow off her back.

"Daryl!" The crossbow wielder looked over to see Rick hovering over the perpetrator as he shouted in pain. Daryl gritted his teeth and trudged towards the man, jumping on top of him and grabbing the collar of his jacket,

"How many of you are there!?" Harli heard him shout, watching as Rick and Daryl began to interrogate the wounded militia man.

"You guys should get back to the car."

"Glenn?" Harli turned around and saw him walking up with his shotgun in his hand. He pressed his hand softly against her back to guide her, "Come on, Rick wants you guys to get back to the truck." Harli nodded and motioned for Carl to follow after her, Harli looking over her shoulder at the continuing shouting coming from both Rick and Daryl.

Daryl slammed the man's torso against the ground, his jaw tightening and his hands aching to rip this man apart.

"We're set up a few streets over! I just wanted the truck and the motorcycle!" Daryl huffed and reached his fist back, slamming it against the man's face with every ounce of strength he had.

_That's for stealing the motorcycle._

Daryl growled and pulled his fist back once again, unloading his vengeance through the man's jaw, feeling teeth knocking loose.

_And that's for stealing Harli._


	24. Chapter 24

The air was quite.

Not one bird was chirping, not even the slightest breeze wafted through the air, and not even the softest moan of a Walker could be heard.

A house.

A broken down house was in the midst of a small, forested neighborhood. It was weathered and worn, old and stiff, and it stood lonely among the trees. Hasty footsteps suddenly erupted through the stale air, rushing towards the front door as if they had nothing to lose. Clambering up the steps, the front doors to the house lunged open and the footsteps stopped for only a second.

Rick raised his gun quickly and shot down the Walker turned to challenge him, T-Dog rushing in behind him and stabbing its undead partner in the face with an iron stoke. Daryl quickly entered the house behind him, crossbow raised as he shoved the door the rest of the way open with his foot.

Not far behind Daryl, was Harli with her bow raised straight and an arrow docked on the bowstring. Her boots thudded across the wood floor as she moved about the hallway, her arm ready to draw back and plunge an arrow in a Walker's brain at any moment.

Finding the stairs, she quickly moved up them and stopped, slowing to calmer and quieter footsteps. Moving through the hallway, she clicked on the flashlight she had taped to the sights of the bow when the darkness finally claimed her eyesight, the window at the end of the hall covered with boards of wood.

Hearing soft footsteps, she drew back her arrow and stopped in a doorway, peeking in through the crack of the door. A lone Walker stood with its head bowed to the floor, hissing and twitching with a few steps here and there. Harli kicked open the door and let the bowstring go, the arrow flinging and sinking into the brain of the female Walker. With a loud thud, the corpse crashed to the floor.

Harli retrieved her wooden arrow and wiped off whatever blood she could, tossing it back into the quiver on her back. She walked out of the room and saw Daryl stepping out from another, a large feathered being in his hand. Hearing her footsteps, he turned his head and saw her approaching; raising the feathered bird to show her the prize he had claimed.

Harli rolled her eyes and shook her head with a small smile, seeing that he was gripping the carcass of an owl with pride.

Following her downstairs like a loyal dog, Daryl sat down and began to pluck away the owl feathers and Harli sat down across from him, watching the light feathers fall to the floor without care. Her stomach growled greedily and Daryl glanced up upon hearing it, Harli turning her face away to avoid his oceanic gaze with a bit of embarrassment.

One by one, the survivors entered the living quarters, their anguish and fatigue washing over their faces as they set down their gear. Harli glanced over at Lori as she slowly sat down on the ground, her stomach bulging from under her shirt.

Closing her eyes, Harli leaned her head back, waiting, just waiting for someone to say a word.

Carl quickly ran in with two cans of unidentifiable food items in his hands. Sitting down and rummaging through a bag, he pulled out a can opener and popped off the top. Everyone stared, their eyes hungry and pleading. Rick walked up and grabbed the can before Carl had any chance to try and consume it. While staring at the canned dog food, Rick growled and turned, chucking it into the fire place in an angry turmoil. Startled, everyone looked to him and he only stared at the ground, irately huffing as he backed up.

Harli's head flicked over at T-Dog instantly when she heard his whistle, seeing that he had grabbed his stoke and stood up, signaling more Walkers were in the midst. Getting to their feet quickly, the survivors grabbed their gear and Harli led them to the back door.

The green eyed girl yanked an arrow from her quiver and docked it, peeling the bowstring back and letting the arrow free, a Walker falling to the dying grass below its feet as the rest of the group rushed behind her to get to the vehicles. She wheeled around on her heel and sprinted towards the large Dodge Ram and jumped into the driver's seat, pulling the keys from her pocket and starting the truck. T-Dog jumped in the passenger seat and Carol, in the back behind T-Dog. Quickly putting the truck in gear, she slammed on the gas and the tires spun in the dirt as they desperately tried to cling to the ground below them.

Finally gripping what the tires could, the Dodge followed Daryl's bikes trail with the Chevy and Hyundai close behind them with their oh-so too familiar acquaintance: the highway.

**o.o**

Harli pressed softly on the brakes as the caravan gradually came to a stop. She stepped out of the Dodge and grabbed her bow from the back seat, slinging the quiver over her shoulder and shutting the door. T-Dog followed after and the two walked up to the Hyundai, Maggie spreading the map out while Hershel, Daryl, and Rick crowded around,

"We got nowhere else to go." Maggie's finger pointed about the map, "When this herd meets up with us it'll be our cut off. We'll never make it south." Glenn and Carol walked up and Daryl leaned on the windshield as he stared at Glenn,

"What'd you say? There bout a hundred and fifty head?"

"That was last week, could be twice that by now." Glenn shook his head with his hands on his hips. Maggie shrugged a shoulder,

"The weather could have delayed them. If we move fast we could shoot straight up through-"

"Yeah but this herd spills out with that one they could spill out this way." T-Dog pointed out and Harli stared down at the map,

"Well what if we cut through that small town and head back east? Weren't many Walkers the first time around we might get lucky?"

"Yeah but luck never seems to be on our side these days." Glenn added and Maggie sighed,

"So we're basically blocked."

"Seems like that's the concern." Harli rubbed her head while her eyes tried to decipher a safe path on the map. Seeing the many circles drawn over the different roadways to signal the herds of Walkers occupied those specific areas, her hope was beginning to dwindle along with the others. Rick pointed to the map,

"Only thing to do is double back to the twenty seven and swing back towards Greenbull."

"We picked through that already it's like we spent the winter going in circles!" T-Dog added while he rubbed his smooth head. Rick nodded and finally picked out a safe route on the map,

"Yeah I know, I know… at new noon then we'll push west. Haven't been through there yet. We can't keep goin' house to house… we gotta find somewhere to hold up for a few weeks." Rick stared off towards the Chevy where Lori was sitting quietly. Harli broke off the crowding around the hood of the SUV along with Glenn and Maggie,

"I'm gonna go try and find something to eat, you guys gonna go help T-Dog with the water?"

"I'm gonna try and figure out which route we need to take on the map to go west." Maggie said and Glenn looked over at Harli,

"I'll go with T-Dog; he's going to need the help."

"Alright." Harli turned towards Rick,

"Don't forget to let off one shot if there's trouble!" Glenn called and Harli looked over her shoulder with reassurance, her eyes moving back at Rick, and Daryl who soon joined him,

"Rick! Heading off for a hunt, just thought I'd let you know before I left."

"We're headin' off for huntin', too. Don't be goin' too far by yourself."

"Yeah, we don't need to be savin' any asses today." Daryl mocked and Harli raised an eyebrow,

"Excuse me? I'm pretty sure the last time we were in trouble I was the one to plant the arrow through the gnawing jaws of the Walker that tackled you to the ground."

"I know you two have fun poking at each other but right now we gotta get what we need to get done and start back on drivin' here shortly." Harli stole one last glance from an amused Daryl before looking back to Rick,

"Of course. Good luck with you guys." Harli walked past Daryl, playfully shoving her shoulder against his chest as she walked by. His brick-like stature barely moved as she moved past him and he smirked lightly with a huff, nodding at Rick as the three parted ways before disappearing in the forest.

Harli's boots lightly treaded across the mossy and dirty ground, her eyes scanning her surroundings like a hawk, waiting for some type of movement to escape the blur of the trees. She already had her arrow docked and ready to fire in the blink of an eye.

Breathing steadily, eyes scanning, and feet stepping lightly like a cat, her body moved up and over logs, rocks, and over the small creek. She stopped next to a large tree and stared about, the forest oddly faint and stale with only the sound of trickling water breaking the barrier of silence. Her head shot to the side quickly as she saw something flicker in the corner of her sight. Her green eyes narrowed and she leaned against the tree when she saw a light grey, furry being scratching at the ground and rustling leaves as it attempted to reach the dirt and grass below. Without a clear shot or even clear sight of the unknown creature, she squatted down and put her hands to the cold ground, crawling across the dirt like a stalking predator.

Stopping behind the log, she noticed the small, grey animal's head was up and alert upon hearing even her softest steps. Its large ears gave away its identity and it was, indeed, a rather healthy sized mountain rabbit. Not moving a muscle and watching quietly, Harli's muscled tightened as she kept her body still with no problem at all.

Over the past few months, she had developed the utmost strength and agility in order to become one of the most valuable members of the group, and perhaps, one of the deadliest.

The rabbit's ears elevated behind its head and its twitching nose returned to the ground below its large feet, its hungry lips attacking small blades of grass as it chewed violently. Harli sensed the only moment to move and slowly rose to her knees and pulled her arrow back, the bow moving up and over the small log she had hid behind. The large rabbit's head flicked up quickly, seeing her suddenly appearance and stared, trying to decipher if she had been there the entire time or not. Harli help her breath and didn't move a muscle, only staring through the sights of the bow as they eagerly flaunted the rabbit's vitals.

In one swift movement, the arrow careened out of the arms of the bow, plunging its sharp point into the heart through the rabbit's side. Goosebumps rose on Harli's dirty skin as it let out a few blood curdling shrieks before its flailing body seized in all movement and quickly died.

Harli jumped over the log and jogged over to the rabbit's corpse, kneeling down and pulling the arrow from its side. She was a bit surprised at how large the rabbit was, seeing that it was almost the size of a medium sized dog. She smiled at her prize, grabbing its back legs and tying a rope around them, stringing the rope through a belt loop, securing it around her waist. Turning around, she began to follow the trail in which she had followed to her prey.

Through the trees as she neared the highway, she saw everyone crowding around and quickly loading up their supplies in the vehicles. Her eyebrow rose confusingly as her feet found the concrete once again. She wasn't gone that long, was she?

"What's going on?" She asked Glenn as she walked up, Maggie rolling up the map,

"Rick and Daryl came back. I guess Rick found a prison and he wants to go there." Harli narrowed her eyes and paused for a moment as her brain tried to put together the information,

"Wait… a prison?"

"Yeah it's just down the road at the turn off down there." Glenn turned around and pointed behind him, "It's kinda of sketchy, don't you think?" Glenn looked back at her, but before she could reply, the two young adults heard Rick's voice,

"Come on ya'll we gotta get goin'!" He called from the Chevy. Hearing Daryl's bike roar to life, Harli and Glenn quickly exchanged glances and Harli jogged to the Dodge, jumping in the driver's seat and starting it up.

**o.o**

Everyone quickly moved through the trees along with Rick, weapons drawn as they were approaching the tall fence the surrounded the prison's barrier.

Harli's eyes stared at the cement walls of the building as familiarity slowly began to cloud her mind.

"Harli, to your right!" She heard Maggie shout. Drawing her arrow back, she quickly turned to the approaching Walker and let the heavy string go, the Walker plummeting to the ground. The group stopped and Rick began to clip the wired fencing to make an entrance,

"Keep your eyes open!" Harli drew another arrow and docked it as she scanned around, seeing Walker's beginning to approach from a far distance,

"Watch the back!" T-Dog warned with the others on high alert. Glenn stabbed a Walker in the stomach, ramming it up against the fence while Maggie put it out of its misery with a claw hammer.

"Got it!" Rick yanked open the snapped fencing and everyone flooded in quickly. Daryl and Glenn jumped in and held it open,

"Come on Lori!" Harli took her arm and helped her in, carefully watching her belly to make sure she received no damage. Rick and T-Dog were last in jumping through the fence and Daryl gripped the two sides, pulling them as tightly together as his robust muscles could let him as Glenn weaved a wire back and forth through the loops, closing it up,

"Come on everyone let's get to the yard!" Rick called and began to jog down the corridor of metal.

Walkers upon Walker's slammed up against the fence, their snarling and growling making everyone uneasy as they ran by. Some were dressed as prisoners and some were dressed as guards and when their silver, dead eyes caught the movement of the group, their never ending hunger and lust drove them towards their potential meal.

Daryl ripped open a gate, his crossbow elevated as he made sure the coast was clear before the rest of the group entered the small courtyard. The tall fence door towered over them with miles of barbed wire stretching across its perimeters and the bottom of an overturned bus stared the desperate group in their faces. Harli stared up in recognition at the place that surrounded her. Never did she think that she would see this place again and never did she expect it to be a safe haven. She hated being at the prison after the incident with Reaper, but that fear slowly faded once she realized she was in the protection of her surviving group.

"It's perfect." Rick said as he stared out at the building, seeing the opening to the courtyard, "If we can shut that gate, no more can fill the yard and we can pick off these Walkers to take this field by the night!"

"So how do we shut the gate?" Hershel asked and Glenn didn't hesitate to nominate himself,

"I'll do it, you guys cover me."

"I'll go with you too and watch your back." Harli nodded at Glenn and Maggie looked to her, shaking her head,

"No, it's a suicide run."

"But we're both the fastest." Glenn vouched and Rick shook his head to decline,

"No. You, Maggie, and Beth all draw them away. Pop them through the fence! Daryl, Harli, go back to the other tower and take them from there! Carol, you've become a pretty good shot, take your time, we don't have a lot of ammo to waste."

Harli was quick to the tower, Daryl not far behind her as Rick readied to leave the gate.

Harli yanked open the heavy door to the tower and all her ears caught were the hasty footsteps of both her and Daryl as they traveled to the top of the tower through the dark. Shoving open the door, Harli let out a gasp as a Walker grabbed her shoulder from behind and yanked her backwards.

With quick reflexes, Daryl whipped his knife out and shoved it through the decaying eye of the Walker, grabbing Harli's arm and towing her out onto the balcony, "After all I taught you, you still gung-ho bout everythin'." Daryl let her go and Harli rubbed her shoulder where the Walker's greedy hand had touched her,

"Well excuse me for hurrying to help out Rick."

"Just be more careful next time." Daryl was in all seriousness at this point and focused at the task at hand. Harli stepped to the corner of the balcony and loaded an arrow, hearing footsteps coming up the stairs behind them. Looking over her shoulder, Carol appeared,

"Where do you want me?"

"Over on the other corner there." Harli nodded her head to the opposite corner, seeing as Daryl was busy loading his crossbow.

Hearing shouting, Harli looked down to see the others yelling and flailing their arms, drawing away the closest Walkers to the gate as Lori's fingers gripped onto it. Rick nodded and Lori tore the gate open.

Like a racehorse breaking out of the stall, Rick began to run up the long pathway towards the prison yard, his silenced pistol raised as he put down Walkers with no hesitancy.

Following a small perimeter around Rick, Harli stared through her bow's sights with hawk-like precision. Walker's descended from the upper areas of the yard and all Harli's ears could pick up were the loud explosions of rifles and pistols from the neighboring towers and fencing below.

A Walker dove towards Rick from behind and Harli released her arrow, pinning it to the ground once the wooden projectile drove itself through its decaying brain. Rick looked up at Harli with a thankful glance and she nodded back while reaching over her shoulder and sliding another desperate arrow out of her quiver. Reaching her arm back, Harli took a deep breath and took aim at a distant Walker, the corpse usually being out of reach of her arrow at such a distance. But concentrating deeply, she took aim as it approached Rick without his knowing, firing once she let go of the bow string. The arrow slide through the dead flesh of the Walkers neck and it fell to the ground, flailing about.

Harli growled and bit her lip in discontent, "Dammit!" Rick noticed it beginning to get up once again and quickly fired his pistol, making sure it stayed down. Harli's head flicked when she heard Carol's gun go off, seeing an uprising of dirt around Rick's feet as he stared up at Carol,

"Sorry!" She called when almost shooting their leader. Daryl and Harli exchanged glances and then looked back to Rick, seeing he had reached the gates he was aiming for. Finally latching them together, he quickly made way to the tower and disappeared inside.

Reaching her hand over her shoulder for another arrow, she noticed that her supply was beginning to diminish. Throwing her bowstring over her head to rest on her shoulders, she yanked her pistol out from its holster in her belt loop,

"He did it!" Carol smiled and Daryl put his hand to his mouth,

"Light it up!" Everyone's gunshots became more frequent when they were in the clear. Raising her pistol, Harli carefully sighted the fading population of Walkers as one by one they began to fall to their demise. The recoil of her pistol bounced back through her hands violently, but she only ignored it to finish her objective.

With one last shot coming from Dale's rifle that Rick had become so accustomed to using, the last Walker fell to the ground slowly.

The three stared around for a few moments, glancing at each other, then back down to the prison yard. The reality of this safe zone had not yet hit them as they descended down the stairs to return to the sides of their other group members.

Slowly, smile's crept up on Harli's Daryl's and Carol's faces as they jogged around from behind the other tower, returning to the place where it all began.

"That was fantastic!" Carol laughed while meeting up with the others and Harli smiled while placing a hand on her hip, her hands shaking from her pistol's recoil,

"I can't believe we took them all down so quickly." They all headed towards the gate as Lori opened it up for everyone, a smile brewing on her face as well,

"Are you okay?"

"Haven't felt this good in weeks." Lori replied to Carol as she passed by.

Harli stared at the large space when she entered, her mind not believing that this was really happening. She didn't have the words to express her feelings for the relief and pleasure she was experiencing at that moment. She heard an excited Carol, but ignored everyone's actions to reply to the messages her brain was receiving.

_It was safe here. _

She looked at all the ragged corpses she passed as she walked up the dirt pathway towards the prison, seeing arrows and bolts from her and Daryl's expert precision protruding from the Walkers broken skulls.

_It was safe here._

She saw smiles and happiness in the faces of her comrades in which this was something she had yearned to see once again. It was the first time in days, weeks, and even months she had seen some sort of happiness in everyone, especially Rick. He was the reason they were all there, why they were still alive.

_**It was safe here.**_

**o.o**

Darkness descended upon the group quickly as they settled down for the night in the desolate prison yard. They crowded around the small fire in the cool grass and consumed bits and pieces of the large rabbit that Harli had killed earlier that day. There wasn't much the small animal could contribute for the large appetite of survivors, but for now, they had to deal with its sweet, yet sparse meats.

Picking off the rest of a bone, Glenn threw it off into the grass, "Mmm… just like mom used to make…" His sarcastic attitude made Maggie smile and look over at Harli,

"Good job on the rabbit. Best food we've had for a few days."

"I wish I could have found a deer… we could be eating like kings right now."

"Better than starving for the night." Hershel stated while looking over at Harli, who nodded. With some of her leftover meat, Harli placed it in a bowl and placed it in front of Lori,

"Here… you can have the rest of mine." She noticed Lori paid her no mind and she followed her gaze to Rick, who patrolled the fence line up above, making sure no Walkers could get in. before she could speak, she heard T-Dog,

"Tomorrow we'll pull the bodies together. Try to keep 'em away from that water, now if we can dig a canal under the fence we'll have plenty of fresh water."

"The soil is good… we can cultivate and grow some tomatoes, cucumbers, soy beans…" Hershel strained away from his sentence as he stared up at Rick as well, "That's his third time around. If there were any part of it compromised, I think he would've found it by now." Harli looked up over at Rick, seeing a few Walkers following him along the fence as he moved about slowly. She sighed to herself and looked up at Hershel, pulling a blanket up and over her shoulders,

"I think the reality of the safety of this place hasn't hit him yet. Like it's too good to be true." She looked around at everyone, "I think we all feel the same as well." She stared at the fire and heard Beth,

"This will be a good place to have the baby. Safe." Lori smiled and looked down at the fire,

"Thanks…" Hershel sighed as his blue eyes stared at the fire as if he were lost,

"Bethy… sing Patty Riley for me. I haven't heard that since… I think when your mother was still alive."

"Daddy, not that one, please." Maggie looked over at him, her face becoming a bit sad. Hershel sighed and thought for a moment,

"How bout… Partin' Glass?" He looked over at her and Beth looked a bit shy as she looked back over at Hershel,

"No one wants to hear…"

"Why not?" Glenn asked and Harli looked over at the humble girl,

"I'd like to hear it, too." Beth dipped her head between her shoulders and stared at them,

"Okay…" Hesitating for a moment, she looked down at the fire to gather up the courage, her lips parting and taking a deep inhale.

Her voice flowed fluently and beautifully as she sang the song lightly, not too loud, but not too quite. It was a very beautiful song and Harli knew that it was something that Beth's mother sang to her when she was little. It was an old country song, most likely sang and passed down through generations of the family.

Once the verse broke, Maggie joined in with a smile while they sang the chorus. Harli heard footsteps behind her and saw Daryl and Carol walking up and stopping, Daryl glancing down at Harli's green eyes.

The singing voices faded in Harli's ears and she looked back over at the sister's noticing that Rick had arrived as well, the music bringing him in just like it had Daryl and Carol.

"Beautiful…" Hershel said with a smile through his thick beard,

"I wish I could sing like that." Harli smirked and heard a low strain of chuckles coming from her friends.

"Let's all turn in for the night…" Everyone looked to Rick as he looked off towards the fence, "I'll take watch over there. We gotta big day tomorrow."

"What do you mean?" Glenn asked and Rick looked down, his plan brewing in his head,

"Look… I know we're all exhausted. This was a great win… we just gotta push a little more…" He paused for a moment before continuing, "Most of the Walkers are dressed up as prisoners and guards… it looks like this place fell a little early. All the supplies here may still be intact. They have an infirmary, commensary-"

"An armory?" Daryl's husky voice interrupted for a moment and Rick nodded,

"It'll be outside the prisoner's cells but not too far away. The Warden's office will have information on the location. We'll have weapons, food, medicine… this place could be a gold mine!"

"We're dangerously low on ammo… we'll run out before we even make it in." Hershel said and Rick stared at him for a moment,

"That's why we'll have to go in there… hand to hand. After all we've been through, we can handle it I know it… these assholes don't stand a chance."

With the last words of their leader, he stood up and began to walk towards the post he would be taking for the night. Everyone began to shuffle around to ready for slumber upon hearing Rick's demands of going into the prison the next afternoon and every minute of sleep would be viable for them to answer those demands. Harli stood up and walked over to her belongings where she had already promptly lied out her sleeping bag. She sat down and tucked her stray blanket back into her backpack, flinching when she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder.

She groaned and rubbed over the scar of her previous bullet wound, her fingers trailing up and over her collar bone to the old exit wound. She elevated her arm and twirled it up and around slowly, the soreness creeping about under her skin annoyingly. No longer could she ignore it anymore.

"That shoulder of yours still botherin' you?" She looked over, seeing Daryl lying down on his blanket, his poncho still wrapped around his shoulders. Harli let out a sharp sigh and lied down on her side,

"It's sore again." She mumbled softly with a bit of annoyance,

"It's that heavy drawback on that bow. I told you not to use it so much, it's only doin' more damage than good." Harli sighed and rubbed her sore shoulder, nodding slightly,

"I know… but I'd rather use it than my gun. This pain isn't anything close to what I've already experienced." She laughed to herself and Daryl grunted to himself,

"You're such a stubborn ass."

"Oh, go to sleep already Don Poncho." She smirked and laughed, turning over so she didn't have to face the wrath of the notorious Dixon death glare.

Her relationship with Daryl increasingly became steady and attached over the winter. As the season became more scarce for the survivors, members had to become more dependable, and even though most of the winter Harli was wounded, she wasn't going to let that stop her from being depended upon. Daryl stayed by her side most of the time, and eventually, he took her under his wing to teach her the way of the forest.

From hunting to tracking, she was taught everything to be an efficient predator. Daryl was surprised how fast she learned all he was teaching in a matter of weeks compared to when he had acquired the particular skills over a matter of years.

But the wound Harli had suffered from became severely infected months after she had inflicted it upon herself. It became so infected to the point where she became very sickly, barely being able to move and maintain her health properly. But out of the sheer will to live, and with incredible stubbornness, she managed to overcome to infection without any man made antibiotics and with the help of Daryl, who succeeded in finding natural herbs in which helped her regain her health.

Not once, but twice did she show up on deaths door.

Harli closed her eyes to deep slumber as she continued to remember when she awoke after coming so close to a hypothermic death.

**o.o**

_The caravan of survivors speedily made their way through a small town; only a few Walkers were meandering about in alleyways and down the streets. A restaurant stood in ruins from a recent fire and the grey smoke of the ashy aftermath curled sadly into the air. The eyes of the fallen stared blindly at the ghost-like buildings as their vehicles sluggishly came to a stop._

_Rick stepped out of the driver's seat of Hershel's old Chevy, staring around at the approaching Walkers, his machete in his hand,_

"_What're we goin' to do?" Glenn asked while walking up beside him, Hershel and Maggie in tow,_

"_Well… for now let's take down a few of these Walkers and scavenge around here for some supplies. We're gonna need all we can right now."_

_The approaching Walkers snarling began to get louder as they got closer. Rick turned his head once the decaying Walker reached out towards him and went to strike, but soon stopped when a bolt struck its skull and sent it crashing to the ground. Daryl walked up and the two men nodded, Rick turning back to see most of the group had crowded around them. Their exhausted faces and pleading eyes all stared through him,_

"_Once we're done scavenging, we'll take refuge in the general store and rest up for a while… I know we've been on the run for a couple days."_

"_The Walkers are coming." Maggie said and everyone began to look around, seeing as the corpses were beginning to move towards them, they silver eyes lustfully glaring at their skin. Rick quickly looked to everyone,_

"_Alright, Daryl, Glenn, T-Dog, come with me and let's get rid of these Walkers. Lori, you and the others get Harli's body and the rest of our supplies into the general store. Hershel and Maggie will protect you guys." Lori, Beth, Maggie, and Hershel all hurried back to the Chevy, Hershel popping open the back door and grabbing the gun bag. He pulled out a shotgun and handed Maggie a loaded pistol, Lori and Beth opening the other side of the door,_

"_I'm gonna go in and make sure the coast is clear. You girls start gettin' Harli out of the back,"_

"_Daddy!" Maggie stopped Hershel before he walked into the store, "Please be careful." Hershel nodded and quickly moved, opening the front door of the store, raising the barrel of the gun, and disappearing through the dark doors. Maggie opened to back doors to the Chevy, seeing Harli's serene face tilted towards her. Lori and Beth ran up next to Maggie,_

"_I'll get in and you guys pull her torso out first." Lori crawled into the back, crouching over Harli and grabbing under her arms,_

"_Don't strain yourself too much." Maggie said while grabbing under Harli's arms,_

"_I'll grab her waist," Beth slid her hands under the small of Harli's back and Lori grabbed her feet,_

"_Alright, be careful now." Lori jumped out of the vehicle and they walked towards the doors of the general store. Lori's eyes widened when she heard a raspy growl, looking over her shoulder, seeing a Walker clambering towards her,_

"_Go! Go, quick!" The three women's adrenaline began to pump upon the suddenly arrival of the Walker, it moving faster than they were. With a loud snarl, it lunged at Lori and she gasped, jumping at the sound of a gunshot as it exploded around her closer than comfort. Her wide eyes moved over to an open window, seeing the barrel of a shotgun peeking out under the glass._

_Maggie led the other two in backwards through the door into the dimly lit building, Hershel turning around a small aisle, "You girls alright?"_

"_Yes, thank you."_

"_Is it clear in here?" Beth asked while her crystal blue eyes mirrored her fathers. Hershel nodded,_

"_There was only a couple in the back room. I think it'd be best if we put her in there for the time bein'. I want to check her over once more and make sure she's still with us."_

"_Alright." Without any more trouble, the three women took Harli's body into the back room and lied her down on the cleaned off office table softly. Lori wadded up a blanket and laid it under her head, stretching another over her body to keep it warm. Hershel bent down and opened the flap of Harli's jacket, examining the wound,_

"_I'm going to go finish getting everything out of the truck."_

"_I'll go with you." Maggie vouched and Lori smiled, standing up and walking back out the door, Maggie closely in tow._

"_How is she daddy?" Beth asked while knelt down next to Harli's face. Hershel's mouth drew into a thin line,_

"_The rest of her color finally came back and her pulse is getting stronger. She's been asleep for almost two days now; I reckon she'll wake up any time. The only thing I'm truly concerned about is her wound here, it won't stop bleedin'. I fear the bullet may have struck an important blood vessel, and without any antibiotics, there's the chance she'll get a severe infection." The two Greene's heard the footsteps of their counterparts reentering the store and placing their supplies down on the old wooden floor. Hershel looked to Beth,_

"_Gather whatever medical supplies we have left, I'm going to redress this wound and then we'll leave her be for now." Beth didn't take long to retrieve the medical supplies for her father and Hershel began to work on her wound. Wrapping it up tightly, the white bandage clashed against her tan skin and Hershel stopped, staring down at her with cheerless eyes. With a sharp, discontent sigh, he wiped his hands of Harli's blood on a dirty towel, walking out and closing the door behind him._

_The quiet, cold room harbored only the sound of Harli's struggled breathing, her eyes moving back and forth under her eye lids in a vivid dream. Her fingers began to twitch and those twitches began to travel under her skin to her shoulders, and eventually, her face. Her mouth gaped open and a sharp gasp escaped her rosy lips, her arms moving up._

_With a shaking body, Harli's eyelids burst open and she lurched upwards, hunching over her legs while her eyes tried to acclimate. Her head began to flick back in forth in a frantic motion as her blurry eyes tried to grasp onto the objects in the room and her mind raced a million times back and forth every second. Her hands shook tremendously and she choked out, her hand instantly clawing to her shoulder as raging pain seemed to come out of nowhere. Her breathing became erratic while she whimpered to herself, and with a deep inhale, her head dipped back as she let out a piercing scream towards the ceiling._

_Tears began to spill out of her eyes from the unbearable pain in her shoulder. Without her knowing exact whereabouts, it only added onto her hysteria. In a panic, her legs flailed about in attempts to try and step onto the ground, but her legs gave way and she slammed to the ground, letting out another loud cry of pain._

_Gasping for air, her breathing strained and her crying becoming more frenzied. She stared around the unfamiliar room and her eyes came to a dead stop at the door. Wriggling her good arm underneath her, she tried to crawl towards the door but with another devilish swell of pain, she flipped over on her back and screamed out loud once again, this time moaning and crying, wishing her burning shoulder could be decapitated. Her fingernails dug into the bandages around the wound, still shaking from the uproar of adrenaline and shock._

_She heard the door slam open, but paid no mind and only stared at the ceiling through the blur of tears in her eyes, seeing familiar faces crowding around in her peripheral vision. Not realizing that she was still shouting, she felt a hand clasp down on her mouth and stared up as her tears cleared, seeing familiar blue eyes staring down at her._

_With a sudden wash of relief, she began to see Rick, Lori, Glenn, Hershel, and especially Daryl's face through her watery eyes. Daryl's hand was the one, whose hand softly gripped over her mouth, and her breathing calmed somewhat,_

"_Easy on her now, she's dazed and confused on where she's at. I can't imagine the pain she's in either." Hershel said while staring at Daryl, who returned his glance before looking back down at Harli,_

"_You keep quiet now before you start attractin' Walkers." He nodded towards her and her eyes softened, her teeth gritting under his hand. Daryl slowly removed his hand, and upon hearing no screaming response, he placed it on his knelt knee,_

"_Stand her up and get her back on the table." Hershel said and Rick and Daryl's hands moved under her arms, lifting her to her feet. She had a hard time standing, "How are you feelin' dear? You need to tell me what's going on."_

_Harli's green eyes stared through her bangs as she lifted her head, a cold sweat breaking over her forehead. She hissed in sudden pain and tore her arm from Rick's grasp, latching back onto her damaged shoulder. She felt Daryl's arm wrap around her waist tightly to keep her from falling to the floor once again, closing her eyes tightly and letting out a held breath, "It hurts… so much…"_

"_You need to sit down, try to gather yourself." Rick said and looked over to Glenn as Daryl helped her sit back down on the table, "Go get her some water Glenn."_

"_On it," He quickly left the room and Hershel approached Harli, pulling her jacket flap open again to look at the bandaging,_

"_You're startin' to bleed through again. I'm going to have to do some stitchin' to keep it from bleedin'." Harli looked up at Hershel, her face already fatigued and sickly,_

"_Do you have any pain medication? Antibiotics?" Hershel hesitated for a moment and sighed, shaking his head. _

"_You're going to have to bear through it." Flinching, she rubbed her shoulder to try and soothe the burning sensation. Hershel grabbed her hand and pulled it away,_

"_Try not to touch it; you'll only induce the bleedin'."_

_Daryl stood back, his arms crossed and his teeth clamping down on his thumbnail as he watched with unwanted nervousness. Glenn returned with a bottle of water and offered it to her. She looked up at him and shook her head, "I'm not thirsty."_

"_Come on you've been passed out for a couple days, you're dehydrated." Glenn said, shoving it towards her. Her teary green eyes stared at him and she finally took the bottle water, but only held it in her hand. She looked over at Rick,_

"_A couple of days? What…?" She tried her hardest to remember what exactly had happened and how the hell they managed to find her. Rick nodded,_

"_You were passed out when we found you and your skin was whiter than snow. We thought you were a gonner." _

"_We stopped at some stone ruins by the river and found your backpack." Glenn said while staring at his green eyed friend,_

"_We followed the riverbed up north a ways and found blood on the banks. Rick and I found you face down in the sand half dead." Daryl's raspy voice directed towards her and Harli rubbed her head, trying to ignore the searing pain in her body,_

"_Never did I expect I'd see you guys again…" She mumbled more for her ears other than everyone else's. No one really had anything to say to her and Hershel looked at everyone,_

"_We should let her rest somewhat and get back to settling ourselves in for the night." Rick nodded,_

"_You're right," He looked over to Harli, "Try to stay put here; we don't need you to escalate your injury more than it already is. If you need anything, we'll leave the door open."_

_Rick turned around, along with the others, and walked out the door to further dictate the group's actions. Daryl stared over at his injured flame and finally moved his legs, walking over to her. Harli noticed his presence and looked up at his confused face, her painful eyes staring._

_Caught off guard, his strong arm wrapped softly around her neck as he pressed her face gently into his chest, "I'm glad you're alright."_


	25. Chapter 25

Harli tied her hair up in a ponytail and tightened the laces on her boots, shouldering her bow and quiver tightly. She leaned up and looked to Rick, gripping the handle of her hatchet and walking towards the rest of everyone crowded around the front gate that lead into the prison. Stopping next to Glenn and Maggie, she looked over to her fellow female, "You ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. I just want to get this over and done with."

"Just think, as soon as we get everything cleared, that's that. Over and done with for good." Harli smiled and Maggie could help but catch the contagion of smiling as well,

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She grabbed her machete and stood up, Rick's voice booming through the air,

"Everyone ready?" His eyes passed around to everyone, as well as everyone looking to each other, and they all nodded, "Stay and don't leave formation for any reason. Our success is only imminent if we stay together!"

Daryl, T-Dog, Harli, Glenn, and Maggie all crowded behind Rick, readying their weapons as Rick's hand latched onto the clip that held the gates together. Hershel had his fingers tied into the fence, "You ready?"

Rick nodded, and in one quick motion, he unlatched the clips and swung the gate in, tackling the first Walker down with a machete to the head.

Harli's pulse throbbed in her ears as her adrenaline sky rocketed, seeing the large horde of Walker's beginning to crowd around them. With one deep breath, her ears cleared and she lunged forward, shoving her knife through the eye of a Walker, while turning and swinging her hatchet, slicing off the head of another. Her eyes darted back and forth, seeing another three approaching her side quickly. She shoved her leg into the chest of the Walker, its body crashing to the ground below it, the other two closing in. She gritted her teeth and hustled forward, reaching her hatchet back, and thrusting it into the Walker's brain, splitting its head in two. Daryl rushed up behind her and plunged his knife up through the jaw of the other Walker, glancing over at Harli and nodding before the two returned back to formation.

"Stay in formation! T!" The two looked over their shoulders, seeing T-Dog had broken rank and grabbed a riot shield, gripping it tightly and rushing a stray Walker, knocking it to the ground. Maggie ran forward and slammed her machete into its head, the two quickly returning to formation, "We're almost there!"

The small group moved quickly and quietly through the courtyard, Rick stopping and opening a door to the inside, seeing nothing through the darkness, he proceeded to round the corner to the gate that they were aiming for, but came to an abrupt halt and retreated behind the safety of the wall.

The group's bodies instantly sucked against the wall as Rick threw his hand up, signaling more Walkers. All Harli's ears could pick up were everyone's panting, as well as her own, and her heard leaned over, her eyes widening when she saw two Walkers, clad in riot gear, stumbling out from behind a nearby dumpster. Two more emerged from the side of the building they clasped against, raising the alarm for the survivors as they were spotted.

Daryl darted forward and pulled the trigger of his crossbow, sending one of his bolts whirling into the face mask of the Walker's helmet. The bolt bounced off and fell to the ground in defeat and Daryl glanced over at Rick. Rick then rushed forward to attack a Riot Walker, the others following in his wake.

Harli rushed past Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog to the two slowly approaching Riot Walkers. Wanting to buy the other times while Rick handled the gate situation, she gritted her teeth and shoved her shoulder into the bulletproof vest of the Riot Walker, knocking it to the ground. She turned her attention to the other, who reached its arms out in attempts to grab her dirty skin. She jumped back and caught her grip on the hatchet before lunging forward and slamming the hatchet down onto the Walkers helmet. To no avail, the sharp blade could not penetrate the riot helmet.

She heard Rick shout Daryl's name, glancing over for a moment during her standoff with the Walker, seeing that Rick was rushing towards the gate. She heard grumbling behind her, seeing that the Walker she knocked over was recovering quicker than she thought. Thinking fast, Harli felt the hands of the Walker gripping on her arm. She turned and her hand flung towards the helmet, grabbing onto the face shield and shoving it upwards. The face shield broke off the hinges and clashed onto the ground, Harli taking the opportunity to shoving her knife into its eye.

With a gurgle, the Walker fell backwards as Harli yanked her knife out of his decaying flesh. Panting, she returned her attention to the Walker on the ground, kicking it in the head and watching as it fell back to the ground once again. She grabbed its vest and flipped it over on its back, stepping a foot to the other side of its body and hovering over the Walker. It snarled and moaned at her, its jaws chomping at her like a horse with a bit. She stared down at it for a few seconds before gripping the handle of her knife tightly, raising it over her head and stabbing it in the face so hard the knife went completely through its skull.

Tearing it out, she huffed and turned around, wiping the back of her hand across her forehead while leaving a small trail of blood in its wake. Her ears were flooded with the lustful growls coming from the large mob of courtyard Walker's, slamming their bodies up against the gates in attempts to get at the small group.

Everyone stared at each other for a few minutes, some examining others to make sure there were no bites or scratches hiding from their gaze. Seeing the other members of their group crowding around and waiting for their return to the gate they entered, they each began to walk back towards the entrance to the prison yard.

"Wait." Their feet seized against the concrete as they looked too Rick, seeing him staring around the entrances to the inside of the prison. Glenn walked up to him,

"It looks secure."

"No from the look of that courtyard over there… and that's a civilian." Daryl pointed to the female Walker he had killed, the others looking over as well,

"So the inside of the prison might be overrun by Walkers from the outside…" T-Dog said while sighing. Glenn looked to Rick,

"Well what're we gonna do? If there are walls down we can't rebuild this place by ourselves."

"Best thing we can do is get inside and check it out and fix whatever we can for the time being. There are different areas of the prison guaranteed to be secure. We just have to find them."

"Harli's got the idea… we can't risk a blind spot. We have to push in." Rick turned towards a fenced door and corridor, Daryl following after. Harli and the others glanced at one another's already fatigued faces before proceeding towards the door and following after their leader.

They readied their weapons as Daryl opened the door and Rick raised his machete in waiting for something to pop out. After seeing nothing on the approach, Rick stepped in and the others followed, hearing the intense silence washing around them. For the first time in her career history, the innards of the prison were intensely quite in Harli's ears. There were no prisoners howling, shouting, and slamming their bodies up against the prison doors. The barred door creaked loudly as Rick opened it, making memories flood into Harli's clouded mind. Her feet found the stairs as her and the rest of the group descended into the cellblock.

Harli stared around as the others spread out, this cell block being oddly unfamiliar to her. Only being here a few times during her employment of the extended prison and its branches, the unfamiliarity of this area made her a bit skeptical about her surroundings.

Harli heard footsteps and saw Rick walking down the stairs from the lookout tower, a ring of keys jingling in his hands. Harli whistled over at him, nodding her head towards an iron door while walking over towards it. He followed her over and stuck the key into the lock, unlocking it and opening the door with a loud screech.

The group moved into another large area and Harli looked around, finding the door leading into the actual cell block. She walked over with Rick once again and stuck his arm through the bars, unlocking the door and opening it with yet again, another squeal. Harli pulled her hatchet from her belt and squeezed its handle, ready for anything to happen at any moment.

Cautiously, she and Maggie walked through the quite corridor, looking into the cells in case of Walker inhabitation. The area seemed almost too serene for its worth, but alas it was rather empty. Harli walked back towards T-Dog, hearing snarling of a Walker up above them and looking up, seeing Daryl and Rick standing on the floor in front of the cells,

"You guys alright up there?" Harli asked quietly, only for her voice to sound louder than expected. Rick looked over the railing,

"We're just fine, just a couple of caged Walkers." Harli saw Daryl's hand fling forward and one of the Walkers raspy voice seize. Rick walked back down the stairs,

"Maggie, Glenn, go get everyone and the gear. This cell block is secure. T-Dog, Harli, help us get whatever bodies that are in here and drag them out."

T-Dog and Harli soon got to work dragging out whatever bodies they could find.

"Here Harli, put that one over here." T-Dog directed and Harli nodded, grabbing the Walker's ankles and dragging it out of the cellblock. She slid it up next to the others in a messy line, the two walking back into the cellblock,

"How many more are left?" Harli asked while looking up at Daryl. He shoved his foot against the corpse and it dropped with a loud thud next to Harli and T-Dog,

"That's the last one." T-Dog grabbed its legs and began to pull it out, Harli's head tilting over when she heard many footsteps flooding into the cellblock. The group entered, sleeping and duffle bags in their hands,

"What do you think?"

"Home sweet home." Glenn said in exhaustion as he passed Rick into a nearby cell,

"For the time being."

"It's secure?" Lori asked while looking around as if it were too good to be true. Rick stared at his fellow survivors,

"This cellblock is…"

"What about the rest of the prison?" Hershel asked and Rick turned his attention towards the older man,

"In the morning, we'll find a cafeteria and infirmary."

"We sleep in the cells?"

"I found some keys on a guard. There's two sets, I have one and Daryl, the other." Rick pointed towards Daryl as the keys sat clenched in the backwoodsman's hands,

"I ain't sleepin' in no cage… I'll take the perch." Daryl's raspy voice echoed, as well as his footsteps as he walked over to the honing that the stairs led to.

Harli found her backpack and sleeping bag and walked into an empty cell, dropping them to the ground. She glanced at the blood painted walls around her, but quickly ignored them when the mattress of the bed seemed to call her name. Dropping her tense shoulders, she leaned down and crawled onto the lower bed, feeling the surprisingly comfortable cotton pad flexing under her weight. She lied her head down against the taller part of the mattress like a pillow.

She let out a long sigh of relief and closed her eyes, her muscles finally relaxing after a tough morning. She turned and lied on her back while putting her hands under her head, staring at the bed above her as her eyes glazed over with tranquility.

**o.o**

Harli's eyes fluttered open, still a bit sleepy from her ideal night's sleep, something she hadn't had in months of sleepless nights on the run. She rolled over and groaned in slight bliss, hearing scattered footsteps walking about outside the cells. Harli leaned up and rubbed her head, standing to her feet, her boots still on, and poking her head out from her cell. Upon seeing Daryl, Rick, Hershel, and T-Dog standing about and speaking in hushed tones to avoid waking the others, she walked out and towards them.

"How'd you sleep last night?" Rick asked when seeing her approach and she smiled rubbing her arms as goose bumps rose on her tan skin,

"Better than I have in a very long while. What are you guys doing up so early?" She glanced out the window above, seeing the morning sun flaming in through the glass,

"We're gonna head out and find the armory before tryin' to go clear out what we can of the prison today."

"Armory, huh? I think I might be able to help." She replied to Daryl and then looked to Rick,

"This is the West Central Prison; I've only been here a handful of times because I worked mostly out of the main branch in the North. If it's anything similar to it, I might be able to lead you to the armory. It should be close to the first room we came in yesterday and where you found the door keys."

"That sounds like a plan. Go get your weapons and we'll get to it then." Rick said with much haste in his voice. Harli nodded and returned quickly with her bow, hatchet, and knife,

"So back to the first room?" Daryl asked while they left the cellblock, locking the door behind him,

"Yeah, the armory should be a few rooms away from there in the door adjacent to the one that leads here."

They all found their way back to the room with benches and the guard tower, stepping more carefully after walking from their safe zone, cautious of stray Walkers that may have found their way in. Harli led Rick to a steel door and ran her hand across it, yanking on the handle. With it being locked, Rick pulled the keys out and tried out a few before finding the right one, unlocking the door.

Harli pulled out her knife as Rick opened the door, ready for anything to approach her with bloodlust. But the large room was dark and quiet, no one and nothing occupying its dorms. Slowly, they made way in and looked about, seeing that it was a room for the officers to ready themselves in. Stray riot gear was tossed about the room and a few corpses were strung about here and there. Harli spotted a cracked open door and walked towards it, gripping her knife as her free hand latched onto the handle, pulling it open with a loud squeal. She dropped her hand back down to the side, seeing no dangers ahead of her,

"Find anything?" Rick asked while walking up behind her. She walked forward,

"Well, I think this is the armory… or what's left of it…" Her disappointment radiated through her words as she walked in, seeing the room practically empty,

"This is the armory?"

"We don't know that for sure." Rick replied to Daryl as the two walked in, Hershel and T-Dog not far behind. Rick looked around, not with disappointment, but with slight satisfaction,

"It's alright if it's not the armory, there is plenty here we can use for now. We can push through the prison later on while we try to find the cafeteria, maybe we'll find something more. But for now, let's try to gather up whatever's left in this room."

"I brought a bag just in case." Hershel pulled a bag off his shoulder and dropped it on the ground, the five sprouting around the room and grabbing anything useful they could.

They found their way back to the tower room and placed the bag down on a table. T-Dog went back to the cellblock to check on the others, soon coming back to see the goodies that they had found. One by one, Rick and Daryl pulled out the items they had achieved and placed them on the table. Harli, T-Dog, and Hershel studied the array of weapons and riot gear.

T-Dog grabbed an assault rifle and stared at it as if it were too good to be true, before setting it down. Hershel pulled out whatever remained in the bag and placed them on the table. Daryl nodded his head as he looked at the array of weaponry,

"Not bad."

"Flash bangs… CS triple chasers… not sure how they work on Walkers but we'll take 'em…" Rick raised the handheld bombs in his hand. Harli studied the pistols on the table, taking them in her hands and pulling out the clips,

"Already loaded? That's weird." She raised it and aimed at a wall as if she were going to fire. She spotted a switch on the side and curiously flipped it, her eyes drawn to the red laser shooting off the bottom,

"Laser sights…" She smiled and flipped the switch off, placing the loaded pistol back down on the table carefully. Daryl grabbed a riot helmet off the table and held it upside down, seeing an unknown liquid dripping from the hard plastic. He grunted in disgust and snarled,

"I ain't wearin' this shit."

He wiped his hand on his pant leg and tossed the helmet back on his pant leg. T-Dog held a glove upside down, watching the stinking, decaying liquids dripping from the lip of the glove. Harli coughed and tilted her head to the side, putting her hand over her nose, "Oh god..."

"We could boil 'em." T-Dog said and Daryl's disgust persisted,

"Ain't enough firewood in the whole forest, no!" He grabbed a police baton, "Besides, we got this far without 'em." He said while swinging the baton like a baseball bat.

"Hershel?" They all looked up to see Carol nodding towards the door,

"Everything alright?" Rick asked and Carol smiled and nodded,

"Yeah, nothing to concern yourself with."

Hershel moved from the table and followed after Carol back towards the cell block. Rick looked back to the other four before returning his attention towards the newly found weapons. Harli handled the flash bangs, her fingers tracing over the unknown features. She saw Daryl's hand grab a grenade and watched as he shook it, stared at it for a moment, then shook it next to his ear more vigorously,

"I'd feel a lot more comfortable if you _didn't_ shake a grenade in here."

"What're you talkin' bout? Don't undermine me woman." An unknown object fell from the Daryl's hand and clang like a ring against the table. All eyes darted to the object as it spun to a stop, seeing the grenade ring staring back at them menacingly. All eyes went to Daryl as he continued to stare at the ring,

"Aw shit…" Everyone stood frozen and stared at Daryl's their eyes wide and frantic. But before they had a chance to run from the room in fear of the explosion, Daryl smirked to himself and snickered, putting the grenade back on the table, ring still intact,

"All ya'lls faces were priceless!" Everyone let out their held breaths and Rick shook his head while wiping his face, looking back to Daryl with daggers in his eyes. Harli balled a fist and punched the redneck in the shoulder,

"Daryl! That was so not funny!"

"I thought so." He laughed to himself.

**o.o**

"Alright then, let's get this show on the road." Rick helped T-Dog put on a bullet proof riot vest, Harli, Glenn, and Maggie all readying their weapons, even their pistols just in case. It was time to head out into the heart of the prison, clear out Walkers, and find the necessary areas that they would need in order to survive. Harli yanked the slide back on her pistol, loading it, and placing it in the leg holster she found in the small armory, the belly of her pistol full with bullets for the first time in months.

"Harli," She turned, hearing Daryl's voice calling her name. He tossed her a small flashlight and she caught it quickly, nodding,

"Thanks."

"You won't need that." Harli looked over her shoulder, seeing Carl holding a riot helmet. She returned her attention to loading her backpack,

"I've loaded pistol ammo in case any of you need it."

"Good idea, never know if we need the back up." T-Dog said and Harli smiled while tossing her bow strap over her shoulder, as well as her quiver. Making sure her knife and hatchet were secure, she turned to Rick, as well as everyone else, as he handed Carl the keys,

"Great, let's go." The group flooded out of the cellblock and waited for Rick as he took position in front of them to lead.

Slowly, they wound through hallways and through new doors, Daryl sticking his hand through the bars of one door and unlocking it. The darkness began to slowly consume them as they walked through the door and into the dark, windowless hallways. Everyone turned on their flashlights and shined them to light up the corridors.

They trekked through the cold air and over the damp concrete below their feet cautiously. Daryl and Rick were up front, Maggie and Harli in the middle, and Hershel and Glenn taking up the back. Their weapons were ready for the attack for any stray Walker's to show their grotesque faces. No one said a word, or even breathed a loud breath in hope that they wouldn't attract any of the infected.

They turned another corner, facing barred fencing with the doors wide open. The intense smell of decaying bodies wafted through the air, making Harli cough as quietly as she could, wrinkling her nose in protest. Even as long as the world was in downfall, she still couldn't overcome the distinct smell of decaying flesh.

They each stepped over and around the corpses on the ground, unaware if they were alive or dead. Water cascaded from the ceiling and Harli and Maggie dodging it as they pursued after the others. Glenn pulled out a can of white spray paint and began to paint arrows for their return on the walls. The hissing of the spray was the only sound, besides dripping water, which occupied the air around them. As Glenn finished spraying the arrow onto the dark wall, her turned and bumped into Maggie, who screamed from being startled.

Everyone turned to her and she only walked forward to proceed. Rick turned and motioned for everyone to follow after him. The flashlights darted back and forth, searching for any sign of movement and everyone's ears searched for a sound.

Only stopping for a moment so Glenn could paint on another arrow, Rick came to a stop at a dead end corner, looking back at everyone. They all gripped their hands tightly around their weapons and Rick looked to Daryl, who nodded for him to proceed. Rick jumped around the corner and shined his light down to the end of the hallway, but only saw nothing.

Another crossroad of hallways and Glenn painted another arrow, Rick and Daryl looking down each of the hallway ends to make sure there was no danger. Harli heard a loud clank behind them, turning quickly in the direction. Her flashlight flickered back and forth, but she could find no source of the loud noise. She turned back around and followed the rest of the group as they moved back down another hallway.

Suddenly, upheavals of snarling echoed through the air, making chills go down Harli's spine,

"Go back…" Rick whispered hastily and Harli, Maggie, and Glenn jumped back,

"Go back, go back!" Rick shouted and they all turned, quickly jogging back the way they came. Daryl and Rick quickly made their way back to the front of the group to guide the rest out of the dangers path,

"They're getting closer!" Harli shouted upon turning her head and flashlight over her shoulder, seeing them gangling after the group quicker than they expected. Harli turned and quickly caught up with the group, following up behind Glenn and Maggie, who were beginning to lag behind as well.

"This way!" Rick's voice bounced off the concrete walls and Maggie, Glenn, and Harli struggled to catch up with them. They rounded a corner and Harli crashed into a Walker, knocking it to the ground and almost her own self in the process. Glenn grabbed her arm and yanked her and Maggie into a nearby closet.

They jumped when Walker's slammed themselves up against the door in attempts to get in. Harli panted and ran a hand through her moist hair, Glenn shining the flashlight in her face,

"You alright?" He whispered. Harli squinted her eyes against the intense light and nodded in response, Glenn letting out a sigh of relief, "Maggie?"

"I'm fine, just shaken…"

"Do you think the others made it out?" Harli whispered back. The couple looked back at her, and then to each other before their eyes settled on the floor below them, fearing that they had been left behind. Harli looked around the rather large closet, shining her flashlight towards the back, but only seeing janitorial gear.

"The banging… it stopped." Maggie said while looking to the door. Harli and Glenn glanced at each other before looking to the door as well,

"Should we go try and find them?"

"I think that's the best choice we have at the moment. We can't stay cooped up here all night, our chances will dwindle." Harli whispered back to him. Glenn nodded and looked from one woman to the other,

"Alright, keep your eyes open and let's try to find the arrows." They all stood up and Glenn slowly opened the door, a slight creak coming from the hinges, making their hearts leap in fear. Upon hearing no Walkers nearby, their flashlights darted around the cold corridor, looking for a way out,

"Rick!?"

"Daddy!?" The two whispered loudly and Harli kept her eyes and ears open for any Walkers. They slowly crept around a few corners, eagerly waiting for a response from any of their comrades.

A blood curdling cry came out of nowhere and Harli's heart dropped when she diagnosed the shouts. Hershel's frantic cries echoed through the hallways, but the young adults didn't find it hard to find their way back to each other. A loud gunshot fired through their ears and their legs only moved quicker as they rounded a corner, seeing an array of struggling flashlights through the darkness,

"No! Daddy!" Maggie's voice cracked and she began to cry, falling to the ground towards her father. Rick and Glenn grabbed Hershel's arms and hoisted him up,

"Rick! Walkers!" Harli shouted while seeing as they had come out of nowhere once again. Rick looked up quickly and he and Glenn wrapped Hershel's arms around their necks,

"Daryl!" He darted forward and pushed Harli back,

"Go! Quick!" He pulled the trigger of his crossbow, taking down the leader of the horde that vastly approached. Harli grabbed Maggie's arm,

"Come on!" She drug Maggie through the hallways, following Rick and Glenn as they carried Hershel to an exit, and at this point, any exit that crossed their path.

"Run! Get back, get back!" T-Dog shouted while Walkers came out of the hallway in front of them. The group backtracked towards Daryl and went down the last available hallway.

"Hurry! Hurry!"

"T!" Rick shouted as they stopped at a door that had been handcuffed shut. T-Dog shoved through everyone and slammed his stoke down through the chain, yanking back and snapping it in half. T-Dog shoved the doors open with his shoulder,

"In! In quick!" Harli grabbed onto the other door as Daryl ran through, T-Dog and Harli shutting them behind him. The Walkers slammed against the steel doors, T-Dog and Harli lurching forward to the point where they almost got in after them. Daryl growled and slammed his body against the doors with his brute strength, T-Dog and Harli following. Harli pushed all her weight into the door as the Walker's slammed up against it once again.

"Daryl! Go!" Harli shouted and he glanced over at her for a moment, seeing that she had the situation somewhat controlled. Daryl ran forward and fell to his knees next to Hershel, ripping off his pant leg and exposing the grotesque wound.

Harli's body lurched once again from the upheaval of the Walkers, glancing over at T-Dog, whose face was riddled with struggle as well. Her mind grew chaotic from the painful cries of Hershel, the snarling of the Walker's behind the door, and the overall frenzy that conquered the air around them.

She watched as Rick tore his belt from around his waist and hastily wrapped it just above Hershel's knee as tightly as it would go. Daryl leaned all his weight down on Hershel's lower body to keep him from thrashing, Maggie codling his head like a newborn child, her tears staining her cheeks and falling onto Hershel's,

"Harli! Throw me your hatchet!" Harli stared at Rick's determined face, and wasting no time, she yanked her hatchet from her belt and leaned down towards the ground, sliding it towards him. His fingers struggled to catch the hatchet on the cold ground, but ultimately, he picked it up and looked at Hershel's leg, not taking the time to think,

"Only one way to keep you alive!" He raised the hatchet over his head and slammed the blade down onto Hershel's leg. Harli gritted her teeth and spun her head to the side, closing her eyes, and wishing she could close her ears. Hershel's screams were just about unbearable, and the sound of Harli's sharp hatchet breaking Hershel's skin and bone was just as horrid.

Quicker than they appeared, Hershel's screams subsided as he began to lose consciousness. With one more swing of the hatchet, Rick severed the rest of Hershel's leg, dropping the hatchet and staring down with horror at the chore he had to perform.

"He's bleeding out…" Rick's voice struggled to say. Harli's eyes looked back over to the severed leg, her stomach turning over, and a dry vomit lifting up through her throat. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw movement and looked over, Daryl jumping up and pointing her crossbow at the gated window. The flashlight docked under the sights of his bow shown into the eyes of the intruders as they stared in.

"Holy shit…"

This time, the intruders were alive.


	26. Chapter 26

"Who the hell are you!?"

"Who the hell are you!? One of the prisoners retorted at Daryl as he approached the five figures that stood behind the window of wire without fear. Rick struggled about on the ground as Hershel was beginning to bleed out, his severed leg lying inches from his body. Harli and T-Dog continued to lean up against the doors to prevent the ravenous Walkers from breaking in.

"He's bleeding out, we have to get him back! Come around here, put pressure on the knee! Hard! Hard!"

"Harli go help! I got the doors!" T-Dog said through gritted teeth and she glanced over at him. He nodded and she jumped off the doors and ran towards Hershel,

"Here, use this!" She peeled her thin sweatshirt off her sweaty skin and handed it to Rick. He took it with haste and shoved it against the wound, Maggie pressing it tightly against the mauled flesh,

"Come out here, slow and steady…" Harli glanced over her shoulder, seeing Daryl backing up towards them as the prisoners slowly filed into the room the small group occupied.

"What happened to him?" The Latino inmate asked while walking in, his eyes set on Hershel's condition. The other inmates followed in behind him, their eyes on the same thing as well. Daryl kept his crossbow aimed steady, just in case one of them made a wrong move,

"He got bit."

"Bit?" The Spanish prisoner pulled a gun out of the lip of his pants and Daryl lurched forward, his eyes set on the gun. T-Dog had shoved the stoke in through the two door handles and jumped forward, raising his gun. Daryl shook his head,

"Woah, woah, woah easy now. No one needs to get hurt."

"I need you to hold this, Maggie. As hard as you can." Rick mumbled and Maggie nodded. Glenn jumped up and ran through the door the prisoners entered through,

"Got any medical supplies!?"

"Who the hell are you people anyway!?" The Spanish prisoner asked, his eyes holding confusion and a hint of fear. "Don't look like no rescue team."

"If rescue's what you're waitin for, don't! Come on we gotta go! Harli! Maggie, grab his legs we gotta get him up! Now! Come on!" Glenn rushed in with a make shift metal gurney and Maggie and Harli glanced at each other, nodding before they heaved Hershel's legs, and Rick, his torso, lying his body down. Rick spun the rolling tabletop around towards the door,

"T! The door!"

"Don't open that!"

"We got this!" Harli ran forward and yanked her knife from its sheath just as T-Dog pulled the stoke from the door and tore them open. He rammed a Riot Walker against the wall and plunged the stoke up through its jaw. Another came through and Harli rammed her knife into its skull, kicking it to the ground and waving for Rick,

"Come on let's go!"

"Daryl, Daryl!" Rick shouted for him to follow as he rushed through the door, following Harli and T-Dog into the darkness.

Harli clicked on her flashlight and rushed through the hallway, hearing the squeaking wheels of the table behind her. Her hand flicked the flashlight back and forth to the walls, trying to catch a glimpse of the white arrows that would lead them back to the cell block. Her vision quickly caught the silver eyes of a Walker and she gritted her teeth, ramming it into the wall and thrusting the bloody blade of her knife in through its eye.

The caravan of disordered survivors rushed passed her with Hershel's body and she felt a hand on her arm pulling her back along with them as they went. The light of her handheld friend jumped in front of her, seeing the angel wings of Daryl's vest staring her in the face. They came to the crossroads of the hallways, "Go, go, go quick!"

A few Walker's snarled and Rick turned the gurney around quickly, "This way, this way!" Daryl turned and a Walker approached him quickly. His finger pressed the crossbow finger out of sheer impulse and planted the bolt in the Walker's head. Running up quickly before it dropped to the ground, he yanked the bolt from its brain and waved for the others,

"Come on! This way! Go, go, go!" Harli noticed a shadow darting after Daryl and she ran up, tackling the Walker to the ground. She quickly found her knees and stabbed it's brain, feeling another hand on her arm, this time T-Dog, bringing her back to her feet,

"Nice job!"

The group grew silent and they made their ways through the blistering cold and dark corridor, following the arrows as they went. Harli head voices behind them and looked over her shoulder, Rick hearing them as well,

"Stop, stop!" They all halted and held their breaths, turning and following the path of Rick's finger as her pointed behind them. The shadows of the prisoners danced across the walls and soon emerged as their actual figures. Daryl pushed his group forward quickly as they continued to move back to their cellblock, Hershel's fragile condition dwindling by the second.

Daryl jumped forward as they finally came to the door and opened it with a key swiftly. He shoved the door open with his shoulder and waved his hand, Rick pushing the gurney through and towards the other gate, "Open the door! It's Hershel! Carl!"

"Harli, you come with me!" Daryl shouted and Harli stopped and turned, giving one last glance at Hershel before he descended into the cell block. She turned her head and saw Daryl quickly heading back into the tower room where they had just come from. Her legs moved quickly as she ran through, seeing him with a leg up on a bench and loading his crossbow,

"What are you doing?"

"Prisoners are following us, they're bound to come through that door any second. Draw an arrow and stay behind me. We gotta protect this group."

"Sounds like a plan." Harli yanked her bow from her shoulder and reached up over her back, sliding a wooden arrow from her quiver and docking it,

"Think you can take a livin' man's life?" Daryl's raspy voice asked in almost a whisper as he took aim with his crossbow. Harli pulled the arrow back and aimed as she heard the footsteps approaching slowly through the darkness,

"I guess we're both gonna have to find out." Slowly, the Latino prisoner's body hit the light as his eyes instantly went to Daryl, their gaze interlocking as her stepped further into the sunlight, his fellow prisoners not far behind. They glanced over at Harli as they walked in further and Daryl narrowed his eyes,

"That's far enough." The prisoners stopped and looked at him, their eyes wide with chaos and confusion. The Latino prisoner glanced at Harli and her arrow waiting to be released, then back to Daryl,

"Cell block C… cell four, that's mine gringo. Let me in."

"Today's your lucky day fellas. You've been pardoned by the state of Georgia, you're free to go."

"What you got goin' on in there?"

"It ain't none of your concern." Daryl shook his head back at the Latino, his muscles tightening in anticipation,

"None of my concern?" He yanked his gun back out and Daryl stood up straight, steadying his aim. Upon seeing the gun, Harli's heart leapt into her throat and she stepped forward, her hand shaking from the sudden adrenaline. The prisoner looked over at Harli, a smirk crossing his face as he pointed his gun at her,

"Who the hell is this? The little _puta_ of the group?"

"You're gonna pay her no mind. You so much as look at her the wrong way you're gonna be fixin' to have an arrow between the eyes and dead before you hit the ground."

"You sure talk tough, but can you back it up?" He pointed the gun back at Daryl and Daryl couldn't help but smirk to himself. The largest prisoner stared down at his gun toting friend,

"Chill man… dudes legs all messed up. We're free to go now… why we still in here?"

"Man's gotta point." Daryl retorted and the other dark skinned prisoner looked over,

"I gotta check on my old lady."

"A group of civilians breaking into a prison where they got no business bein'? Got me thinkin' there's no place for us to go." The Latino shook his head while glaring at Daryl and he only stood his ground,

"Why don't you guys go find out?"

"Maybe we'll just be goin' now…" Daryl's angry voice seemed to startle the smaller man with the long mustache, only the Spanish prisoner stood his ground,

"We ain't leavin'!"

"You ain't comin' here neither!" T-Dog came out of nowhere with his gun blazing, startling Harli to the point where she aimed her arrow at him. He glanced at her for a moment and returned his gaze to the prisoners, as well as Harli as she took a deep breath.

"This is my house, my rules, and I go anywhere I damn well please!" The Latino prisoner shouted while stepping forward and pointing his gun,

"You're outgunned here her Tomas, let's just go back to where we were!"

"I ain't goin nowhere! These assholes ain't come in here and take over the place!" His voice got louder and echoed off the walls. He tried his best to intimidated Daryl, T-Dog, and Harli, but he couldn't come close to the danger they had faced every day for the last eight months.

"You'd be smart to take your friends advice. You shoot one of us, you'll all be dead."

"Shut up bitch! Don't think because you're a woman I won't plant a bullet between your eyes!"

"Now that's the straw there bro!" T-Dog jumped forward in front of Harli, as well as Daryl,

"I ain't gonna say it again! Turn your happy asses around and get the hell out of here!" Daryl's voice threatened loudly towards the small group of prisoners and a couple stepped back from the deadly tone in his voice, his eyes set. Only Tomas wasn't thrown off so easily,

"Why don't you make us you stupid redneck!?"

"You're just askin' for an ass whoopin'!" T-Dog shouted and Tomas pointed his gun at T-Dog, then back to Daryl when he saw him taking a few steps towards him,

"There ain't nothin' for you here why don't you go back to your own sandbox and play in the-!?"

"Hey, hey, hey! ? Put your guns down and relax! There's no need for this!" Rick rushed in quickly, staring back and forth from his own group members to the prisoners. Tomas hesitated for a moment and looked past Rick, then back to his disheveled appearance.

Rick began to break the apocalyptic news to the prisoners and they couldn't believe what their ears were hearing.

**o.o**

Rick and the others led the prisoners out into a courtyard to show them the full extent of what they were missing in their ten months locked up in the prison. Without knowing anything that happen from the outside, they were a bit stunned as they stepped into the courtyard, seeing corpses littering just about every foot of concrete.

"Man… does that sun feel good on the skin."

"All these men are dead?"

"Never thought I'd be so happy to see these fences."

Rick, Daryl, Harli, and T-Dog walked into the sunlight behind the group of prisoners as they studied their surroundings, taking it all in.

"Keep on your guard." Rick mumbled to them as they broke apart. Andrew looked over at Rick,

"You never told us… how the hell'd you get in here?"

"Cut a hole in that fence over there." Daryl pointed out to the fence they had entered in and Andrew looked over, following his gaze.

"That easy huh?"

"Where there's a will, there's a way."

"Easy for you to say…" Andrew looked to the ground and kicked a stone, Daryl watching him closely. The largest prisoner, Big Tiny, poked at a Walker's body,

"So what…? Is this a disease?"

"Yeah… you could say that. And we're all infected." All the prisoners stared at Rick with a bit of shock, the smaller man with the mustache, Oscar, looked over at Daryl,

"What do you mean infected? Like AIDS or somethin'?"

"If I were to shoot you, an arrow to the chest, you'd come back as one of these things. It's gonna happen to all of us." Daryl pointed at Axel's chest in his explanation and Axel touched his chest involuntarily,

"You get bit by one of them, it's all over unless it bites you on a limb, then you can say bye-bye to that precious appendage. That's what we had to do to our friend back there." Harli said her first word since leaving the tower room and the prisoners looked to her,

"You seem awfully familiar…" Big Tiny asked and Harli looked to him. Her eyes lowered for a moment and she looked back to him, then to the other prisoners,

"I used to work here. It was an off and on thing and I spent most of my time at the main prison." Tomas narrowed his eyes, staring at her as his memories tried to function. Axel looked over at her,

"You worked here? Who the hell are you?"

"Waldgrave… Dr. Waldgrave." She heard snickering and looked over to Tomas, seeing a smile crossing his face,

"Oh yeah… Waldgrave… you're the bitch who got carved up by Reaper. Funny how fast things can fly through a prison when a woman's blood gets spilt."

"Best mind your tone. That '_bitch'_ is capable of taking on all five of you alone." Rick defended and Harli only looked down and avoided the gaze of the prisoners in shame, catching the eyes of Daryl and T-Dog as she turned away. Tomas continued to snicker to himself while staring at the bodies around him,

"Ain't no way this Robin Hood cat is responsible for killin' all these freaks."

"Must be fifty bodies out here." Andrew followed in Tomas' footsteps and he turned back to Rick, his black eyes curious,

"Where'd you come from?"

"Atlanta."

"Where you headin'?"

"For now... nowhere." Rick faced that Latino prisoner as he approached and Tomas looked to Daryl, then back to Rick,

"I guess you can take that area down there by the water… you should be comfortable there."

"We're using that field for crops."

"We'll help you move your gear out."

"That won't be necessary. We took out these Walkers, this prison is ours."

"Woah, slow down there cowboy." Rick and Tomas argued back and forth, Andrew walking up behind Tomas,

"You broke down our doors and stole our locks."

"We'll give you new locks if that's how you want it."

"This is our prison, we were here first."

"Locked in a broom closet. We took it, set you free, it's ours… we spilled blood!" Rick's lip curled in resistance at his foe. Tomas was unfazed by Rick's attempts and only smiled,

"We're movin' back into our cell block."

"Get your own."

"That's cellblocks mine! I still got personal artifacts in there it's about as much mine as it gets!" Tomas yanked his gun back out forcibly and pointed it at Rick, but without the consequence of Daryl and Harli's crafty arrows pointing at his head, T-Dog's pistol backing them up and aimed at the other prisoners. Rick only stared at Tomas and Oscar and Oscar jumped forward,

"Woah, woah, let's make this work out so everyone wins!"

"I don't see that happening."

"Neither do I." Tomas and Rick were like two pit bulls set on each other, waiting for one another to make the first move so they could rip each other apart.

"I ain't goin' back in that cafeteria for one more minute."

"There are other cell blocks." Oscar vouched and Daryl butted in as well,

"You could leave… try your luck on the road." Harli looked to Rick,

"We could always try and bargain." Rick glanced into Harli's green eyes as they flickered, then looked back to Tomas as he too, glanced to Harli,

"If these four pussies can take out all these freaks… then we can clear out our own cell block…"

"With what?" Big Tiny asked and Tomas narrowed his eyes at Rick,

"Like the bitch said, we bargain. Lenny here will spot us some real weapons… won't ya, boss?"

"How stocked is that cafeteria? Five guys like you lastin' almost a year?"

"Sure as hell don't look like they've been starving." Daryl nodded towards Big Tiny, who exchanged glances with him before looking back at Rick,

"There's only a little left."

"Well then, we'll take half. In exchanged, we'll help clear out a cell block."

"Didn't you hear him? There's only a little left!" Andrew retorted back to Rick and the ex-sheriff only shook his head,

"Bet you got more food than you've got choices. You pay, we'll play. We'll clear a block out for you and you keep to it."

"Alright." Tomas nodded in agreement after a few moments of silence and Rick stepped forward, almost in Tomas' face,

"But let's get one thing clear. If we catch you out here, anywhere near our people… if I catch even one whiff of your scent… I will kill you." Tomas smiled, undeterred from Rick's threats,

"Deal."

The prisoners led Rick, Daryl, T-Dog, and Harli back to the cafeteria, weaving through the dark corridors once again. Harli stayed close to the boys, her fears of the prisoners beginning to cloud her mind once Tomas had brought up her history. Seeing those black eyes staring through her made her completely uneasy and stirred up some of her more daunting memories.

"The pantry's back here." She heard Tomas say and Harli squinted her eyes for a few moments as the sun barred through the window in the kitchen, becoming overbearing once she escaped the dark once again. She stayed close to Daryl once entering the room and walking towards the pantry,

"You never tried to break outta here?"

"Yeah we tried to take the doors off. But if you make one peep in here, those freaks would be lined up at the door growlin' and tryin' to get in. Windows got bars on them that He-Man couldn't get through." Axel looked back at T-Dog and Oscar meekly looked over to them as well,

"Bigger than the five by eight."

"Don't got me complainin'. I'm doin' fifteen and my left leg barely even fit on one of those bunks." Big Tiny shook his head annoyingly and Oscar smiled,

"You know, they don't call him Big Tiny for nothin'."

"We done jerkin each other off? I'm sick of waitin' back here." Tomas leaned against the doorway in annoyance and they all looked at him before exchanging glances with each other and proceeding to the pantry in the back room. The four walked in and stared at the large pantry as if it were Christmas and a miracle send by God himself. The prisoners watched them walk in with caution, standing casually about the foods.

"This what you call a little bit of food?"

"Goes fast." Daryl walked up to Tomas and brushed past him, knocking their shoulders against each other as if they were sizing one another up. Daryl brushed past him and turned on his flashlight, staring at the many foods around him,

"You can have uh… bag of corn, some tuna fish,"

"I said half. That's the deal." Rick's persistency annoyed Tomas. Rick turned to a giant metal door,

"What's in there?"

"Don't open that-"It was too late and Rick opened the meat freezer, gagging and coughing while quickly shutting the door. The feces inside wafted through the air and Harli and T-Dog covered their noses, Harli gagging,

"That's worse than a Walker…"

"No doubt…" T-Dog replied to his female friend and they returned their attention to the prisoners, who laughed at Rick's ignorance.

"How we gonna get all this food back?" Daryl asked while walking out of the pantry, staring at Rick,

"Just make a few trips, it shouldn't be a problem."

Harli looked over her shoulder at the abandoned kitchen, seeing tossed kitchenware, pots, pans, and dirty sinks plaguing the chrome. Her eyes caught an object and she turned, walking over and grabbing the rolling cart. Upon hearing the wheels turning on the concrete, Rick, T-Dog, and Daryl turned,

"Why don't we use this thing?"

"Thank God for Harli…"

**o.o**

"Alright, let's look at your guys' weapons." The prisoners threw their weapons on the table, all except Tomas, who had his gun. They looked at each other and then to Harli as she threw some of their own melee weapons on the table,

"These are all we have." Harli looked up to Rick and he nodded, looking back to the prisoners. Tomas grabbed a crowbar and studied its iron features, his black eyes glancing to Rick,

"Why do I need this?" He pulled the small revolver from his waistband and held it up as if he were showing off. "When I have this…?"

"You don't fire guns… not unless your backs up against the wall. The noise attracts 'em… really riles 'em up…" Daryl glanced across the demeanors of the prisoners, stealing a couple glares of Tomas as he stared at Harli. He gritted his teeth silently as his jaw muscles tensed, bearing through his tan and dirty cheeks. He looked down at his female companion, seeing that she was trying her best to avoid any gaze from the opposing prisoners by slightly hiding behind him and Rick. He saw a large lump bob about in her throat and she gazed up at him, her green eyes shaking with some sort of fear.

She knew prisoners better than he did and she knew the consequences of turning your back on them for just a split second, the things they were capable of, and the mental states that they acquired over the many years of the brig. They could easily try to overpower them, steal their guns and weapons, take Harli, and try and over take the rest of the group.

Daryl would die protecting Harli from a fate like that.

"We'll go in three's. Daryl will run point with T and Harli on each side… and I'll bring up the rear with you two." Rick pointed his machete and Tomas and Andrew, "Stay tight and in formation, no matter how close the Walkers get, anyone breaks rank, we'll all go down. Anyone runs off… they could get mistaken for a Walker, end up with an axe to the head."

"And that's where you aim… the head. These things only go down with a headshot." Daryl's raspy voice echoed through the room and Tomas only smiled while looking at the rest of the prisoners,

"You don't need to tell us how to take down a man."

"They ain't men… they're somethin' else." T-Dog walked up and stared at them, Tomas narrowing his eyes as their eyes locked. Rick walked forward,

"Remember, go for the brain."

The prisoners grabbed up their weapons as Daryl walked around Rick to start off through the cold halls of the prison. Harli felt his rough hand grip her softly and pull her along with him, T-Dog following up behind to cut her off from the prisoners and take position as they entered the darkness through the barred doorway.

Daryl glanced back at her as he clicked on his flashlight, "Don't worry, I got you." Harli took in a much needed breath and clicked on her flashlight as well, his voice sending a wash of relief flooding over her body. Trying to gain her focus on the task at hand, and as they entered the red zone, she pulled her hatchet from her waistband and gripped it tightly.

She followed her guardian angel through the narrow hallways until they opened up big enough to fit the entire group. She stayed next to Daryl and felt the rest of the group pull up behind her, their breathing rough with anticipation.

"Come on man it's way too dark in here." Axel didn't bother to be quiet as he aimed his words towards Daryl. Daryl looked back at him,

"Hold it up high, right in front of ya. You'll here' em before you see 'em." Daryl looked back forward as the sound of gurgling Walker's began to echo throughout the walls around them. Harli took another deep breath and pulled her flashlight down as a shadow of a Walker stumbled across the concrete walls,

"It's comin'!" Oscar shouted with fear in his voice. Everyone quickly hushed him in attempts to save themselves from any unwanted Walkers from coming out of nowhere.

The Walker's finally rounded the corners and their eyes widened and mouths opened, letting out a ravenous snarl. Reaching their arms out they stumbled forward quickly towards them and Daryl lifted his hand on a countdown for the prisoners to get some practice.

With incredibly loud shouts, the prisoners ran forward towards the Walkers and began beating on them with their weapons. Daryl had sucked Harli's body against the wall to avoid the stampede and the four sane group members watched the frenzied prisoners. They thrashed the Walkers about, knocking them to the ground and beating, kicking, and stabbing them all they could.

Harli looked over at Rick and they each exchanged glances with T-Dog and Daryl, their faces muddle with disbelief at what they just witnessed.

"I never seen anything like that before…" Harli looked at them and they looked at her in return, their faces saying the same thing. The prisoners huffed and puffed as they stared down at the Walker's they had just mutilated, their hands, clothes, and faces bloody. They stared back over at Harli and the others,

"How was that?" Tomas huffed with a smug smile. Rick tilted his head and glanced at the Walkers, then back to Tomas,

"I suppose you got the job done. But that's not how we handle things around here; you'll end up getting yourself and the others killed that way." Tomas only shook his head and huffed, rolling his eyes,

"Whatever. Let's just get this show on the road." Rick looked to Daryl, nodding for him to get in front of the pack quickly before they set off again. Harli followed him while Rick and T-Dog stayed in back, Daryl motioning for everyone to follow him. They rounded a few more corners and found themselves in a more open and lighter room.

Daryl raised his crossbow when he heard snarling coming from around the corner, a stray Walker staggering forward upon smelling them enter the room.

"You gotta aim for the head, not the heart, not the lungs." He pulled the trigger and the bolt flung from his crossbow into the dead brain of the Walker. Letting out a hiss, it fell to the ground with a thud, attracting more as they came through the two openings to the door. Daryl nodded for Harli at another approaching Walker and she quickly darted forward like a Viper, striking quickly to the head with the sharp edge of her hatchet, jumping back towards the group as more began to walk towards them.

"You hear me? The brain!" Daryl called and Axel launched out, throwing an axe blade into the head. Oscar followed behind, shoving the edge of his baseball bat into the decaying face of his foe. Rick walked forward and slammed his machete through the face of another, stepping back into the group,

"Stay in tight formation! No more of that prison riot crap!"

More and more Walkers flooded around the corners and Harli jumped forward along with the other prisoners. She slammed her hatchet and knife into the heads of the staggering corpses that continued to flood in from numerous coves. They were dropping faster than they were moving in with the help of the many survivors that occupied the room. They were all careful not to hit each other amidst the chaos as they swung their large and heavy weapons about.

The Walker's diminished and Harli practically jumped out of her skin when three gunshots pounded through her ears, making them ring in such a tight space. She turned around once the madness subsided to see everyone staring at Big Tiny, blood cascading from his shoulder. He stared at the blood from his fingers, looking to Rick for an answer.

Rick clicked on his flashlight to look at the damage, staring back at Andrew behind him, who examined the wound as well. "I'm tellin' you… I don't feel anything, it's just a scratch!"

"I'm sorry man…" Rick bowed his head and looked at the ground,

"I can keep fightin'!"

"You cut that old guys leg off the same as-!"

"Look at where the bite is!" Rick bit back at Andrew and Big Tiny rolled his eyes,

"Stop it! I'm fine! I'm fine… look at me! I'm not changi'n into one of those things."

"Look man, there has to be something we can do. Why can't we just lock him up?"

"Quarantine?" Oscar asked with a bit of worry in his voice and Andrew saw Rick's eyes holding steady,

"We gotta do somethin'! Why you just standin' there we gotta save him!" Big Tiny's prison mates vouched for him the best they could and Rick only shook his head,

"There's nothin' we can do…" Andrew's jaw tightened at Rick's neglect,

"You son of a bitch!"

Tomas suddenly came out of nowhere and slammed a crowbar over Big Tiny's head before he had a chance to speak. The large prisoner dropped to the ground and Tomas hovered over his body, slamming the crowbar into the head of his former comrade, one blow after another. Blood splattered everywhere and the sound of the mashing brain matter, skin, and bone crunching meshed together was appalling.

Harli covered her mouth and turned to avert her eyes from seeing the devastation. Her head landed itself against Daryl's chest and he looked down, putting a hand on her shoulder in whatever comfort he could give. He stared at Tomas as the man lifted himself after his last blow, blood staining his clothes and face as he huffed from exhaust.

Harli didn't have a problem with mutilating the dead, but live humans were a completely different story.

Everyone stared at Tomas with disbelief and his black eyes only grew darker. He stepped off of Big Tiny and turned, walking down the hallway in which they had abolished the Walker threat.

"Come on everyone, let's keep movin'." Rick said while walking after Tomas with T-Dog in tow, the prisoners staring at each other before pursuing after them. Daryl and Harli followed after shortly, Daryl looking down at her as they stepped along,

"You alright? Never seen you get squeamish like that before."

"I'm fine… it's just… I'd rather not see a living man mutilated in from of me with brains flying everywhere…"

"I know what you mean…"

"These guys… can we trust them?"

"I don't know, but I want you to stay close to me. I see the way that Tomas guy looks at you and I don't like it. It's not like any stare you should give to a woman. He's off his rocker." The two noticed Rick had fallen back with them and he looked down at Harli while keeping a watchful eye on Tomas,

"You alright Harli? You're lookin' pale."

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Wanting to be the last thing Rick and Daryl worried about, Harli looked forward to warily watch the prisoners in front of her. She heard Rick and Daryl begin to whisper among themselves,

"You see the look on his face?"

"He makes one move…"

"Just give me the signal."

"Keep a close eye on him… and her." Rick glanced down to Harli and then back to Tomas,

"You better believe it…"

They stopped briefly while T-Dog opened a door and the group flooded into the brightly lit room. Piles of laundry and clothes littered the room and some doors to the washers and dryers lied open. They stared around warily, making sure no Walkers were occupying the premises. They saw a pair of double set doors on the other side of the room and made way.

Rick stopped in front of the doors just behind Tomas. Daryl and Harli walked in behind him, Daryl tossing the keys on the ground as they slid next to Tomas, "I ain't openin' that."

"Yes you are. It's you on this cell block… you're gonna open that door, just the one, not both of them. We need to control this."

Rick demanded and Tomas huffed, picking the jingling keys up from the ground, staring at Rick, and then back to the door. He shoved the keys into the lock and jiggled it before it unlocked, the group getting ready as they heard the ravenous corpses behind the white doors.

"You bitches ready?" Tomas looked back for a moment before returning his attention to the door. He yanked the door, but it wouldn't budge on the first try. Using whatever strength he had. He yanked the door handles more vigorously, "I got this."

With one last pull, the two white doors exploded open, and along with them, came a huge pack of Walkers.

"I said one door!" Rick shouted as his heart launched into his throat,

"Shit happens!" Tomas retorted back to Rick and the Walker's began to lunge at everyone. The group broke rank and the Walker's flooded into every square foot of the room the survivors would allow.

Harli yanked out her knife. With hatchet in one hand and knife in the other, she began to swing her arms in corresponding movements and Walker's began to plunge to the ground. Carefully watching the prisoners around her, their swinging weapons, and trying to pay attention to the starving Walkers.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tomas grab a Walker and shov him onto Rick. Rick fell to the floor, as well as his machete, and the Walker bit at him with an insatiable appetite. Harli's eyes widened and she jumped to the side in order to aid him, but a Walker grabbed her arm and pulled her back. She turned just as its teeth aimed for her skin, but the stoke that came from T-Dog's hand plummeted into its brain, "Watch your back, Daryl's got him!"

Harli heard a snarl and swung her knife, shoving it through the side of a Walker's head. She tore the blade from its decaying flesh and it dropped to its knees. With a loud thud, it fell to the floor and she looked up, seeing no other Walker's stumbling in the attack them any longer.

Harli looked over as Rick and Tomas finally approached each other after the attack. Tomas shook his head and lied through his teeth, "It was comin' at me bro…"

"Yeah… yeah I get it. I get it… shit happens." Rick's blue eyes stared into Tomas' black ones, a long pause between them and the stale air made everyone on edge.

Without a second thought, Rick drew back and with a full force, plunged his machete into Tomas' head.

**o.o**

Harli lied outside in the courtyard across a bench, her hands behind her head and her green eyes staring up at the clear, night sky above her. The moon glistened with pure radiance down on the desolate prison, shining through the windows to give a sense of hope and light.

Harli closed her eyes and sighed to herself, feeling the depleting warmth of the air caressing her skin as a soft breeze cozied through the prison yard. Her stomach grumbled with content from being full for the first time in ages. Her body sat in an aura of bliss with no aches or pains from lack of hydration and nutrition, as if she were in heaven.

Who knew that a place of hell and misery such as a prison could become the safe and secure heaven that everyone wished for?

"Sittin' out here by your lonesome again?" Her torso shot up and she looked over her shoulder to see Daryl approaching from the gates. For the first time in Harli's eyes, Daryl's trusty crossbow wasn't draped around his shoulder.

"What're you doing out here?"

"Makin' sure your ass didn't run off again."

"Please… I'm not that stupid. I learned my lesson the last time." Harli huffed and Daryl jumped up on the bench, sitting next to her,

"So, what are _you_ doin' out here?"

"What? I can't come out here and relax? I have to have a reason?"

"Everyone's gotta have a reason for somethin'. You can't just sit out here and be doin' nothin'." Harli sighed glanced over at him, a smile growing on her face,

"Well… I'm winding down from today. A lot happened. We cut off Hershel's leg, he almost died-twice-we dealt with the prisoners, found some food and medicine… for once, we actually had a semi good day." She stared out in the trees and Daryl looked over at her, chewing on his lip and then glancing down at the ground. He looked out into the courtyard towards a watch tower, cracking his knuckles,

"Somethin's been eatin' at me all day."

"What?"

"What Tomas said when we took 'em all outside, about you getting "_carved up by Reaper"…_ what'd he mean by that?" Daryl looked over at her for an answer and he noticed Harli staring at the ground. She then reached for her shirt and lifted the edge of it up her stomach a few inches. She dug her thumb into the lip of her pants and pulled the edge down, the moonlight shining on her tan skin. His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the prominent scar that plagued her perfect skin. He took a deep breath and composed himself, seeming a bit shocked about the scar he had just seen, not thinking that a person like her would having something as ugly as that.

"I never really told anyone about this before. The only one who knows about it was my old partner I worked with…"

"What happened?" She leaned back on her hands and sighed, staring at the concrete before locking eyes with him,

"I was working a case with this prisoner, his name was Goyer. He wouldn't respond to the other doctors so I went in, thinking I could take on a psychotic serial killer whose victims were women. He did respond to me, but not in the way we expected. Somehow he had snuck in a make-shift razor… or a shank I couldn't tell. It all happened so fast, I just found myself on the floor with him standing over me."

"The cops didn't do nothin'?"

"Oh, they did, Goyer was just so fast and unpredictable that it just surprised everyone. He managed to cut through my hip and severe an intestine as well as a fallopian tube in my ovary… after that I wasn't the same around prisoners. But I couldn't show any fear or weakness or I wouldn't be able to work." Daryl looked down, not expecting a story like that to come from her lips. His jaw tightened as anger began to boil under his skin and his head turned when he felt a cool hand sliding across his shoulders and fingers crawling up his neck,

"Don't look too mad about it." She laughed to herself and Daryl only shook his head, taking a much needed breathe to let his anger subside. Her tingling fingers played around his hairline on the back of his neck and he closed his eyes,

"But the scar, you don't look back and regret your stupid mistakes?" He asked while looking over. Harli only shrugged her shoulders softly and sighed with a smile, glancing over at him,

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?" Harli's hand slowly pulled itself off Daryl's shoulder and back on her lap, much to his silent discontent,

"I don't really see scars as a weakness from the past, but much like a lesson."

"Says you… they're ugly in my eyes." Harli stared over at him knitting her eyebrows. He looked over and shook his head after realizing what he just said, "Not yours."

"Nice save…" She smirked and shook her head,

"I hate them. I got so many I lost count. The way I see I'm just one big scar." Harli looked back at him and saw that he avoided eye contact with her. She felt his shame radiating off him and let out a long, internal sigh,

"I don't see them as ugly." He looked back at her and she smiled again,

"They aren't a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. They show that you overcame obstacles in your life and that you survived long enough to tell their each individual story. You may see yourself as one big scar, but I see you as a strong man with nothing but good intentions." Daryl's lips twitched and began to chew on the inside of his cheek nervously. He felt a cushion of hair on his shoulder and looked over to see Harli leaning her head on his rough shoulder, "That's why I want to thank you for watching out for me today. I wanted to leave each moment the situation started escalating, but you managed to keep me moving and I eventually faced my fears." She looked up at his blue eyes, his uncertainty boiling in the pools of water as he blinked,

"Not to sound cheesy or anything, but you being there made me feel a lot better." Daryl scoffed and shook his head with a crooked smile, looking away and off into the trees. Harli laughed to herself too and leaned forward again, placing her lips on his warm skin in a soft kiss. Daryl's skin tingled and he looked back at her, the smooth darkness managed to hide his little fluster. It was the first time in months that they had any type of intimate contact, even as little as the kiss on the shoulder. They didn't have time for that then because their minds were linked to other things and focused mostly on the survival of the group. But now that they were in somewhat of a safe vicinity, the more important things were dwindling in their eyes.

Harli went to grab under Daryl's arm but he flinched and his body arch away. But it wasn't a bad flinch, more like a _don't touch me there _flinch. Harli snickered in her head that caused a smile to erupt on her face, "Daryl? Are you ticklish?" Daryl's eyes narrowed and he went to look away,

"No."

"That wasn't a pain flinch." Harli reached her hand back under his arm and he drew back again, putting up his finger in warning,

"If you tickle me, I'm not gonna be responsible for your injuries." Harli only laughed to herself and bounced off the bench to her feet. She nodded her head back towards the prison and waved her hand,

"Come on, we should get some sleep. We've had a long day and with our luck Rick's got more stuff for us to do tomorrow."

Daryl let out a breath and stood to his feet as they both walked back towards the prison entrance. Daryl wrapped his arm around Harli's neck and put her in a headlock, proceeding to rub her head with his knuckles softly and chuckling to himself. Harli grabbed at his hands and yanked off his arm, punching him in the shoulder and shoving him away,

"Ugh! Daryl!?"


	27. Chapter 27

"_You look beautiful tonight. I was having a hard time gathering the courage to say it but uh… I thought I'd be a gentleman about it." Watson smiled down at the brunette as they walked from the large building. Harli smiled back through the light shade of lipstick on her lips, her bright teeth gleaming through them in a small laugh,_

"_Thanks Greg. You don't look half bad yourself."_

_Her heels clanked against the concrete sidewalk, numerous people crowded around them in the courtyard. Harli wore a medium length black dress that sucked against her slim figure and small sleeves of the dress draped off her shoulders, exposing her collar bones. The small pendant of her deceased mother's necklace cradled in her bosom and only small, curly strands of hair threatened to tickle her neck; the rest strung up against the back of her head._

"_Would you like to dance?"_

"_Sure." Harli couldn't help but smile at Watson's charm. His light brown eyes flickered as he took her hand and their bodies drew close to each other. Slowly, Watson rocked her back and forth, the dancing between them soothing and simple,_

"_This is probably the most fun I've had in a very long time." Harli admitted. Watson smirked and nodded,_

"_Yeah, me too. It's hard to think that my little sister is all grown up."_

"_She looks very beautiful." Harli glanced over at the bride and groom dancing in the middle of the courtyard. Watson's sister looked very happy in the arms of her newly wed husband. Her simple features mimicked Watson with long, elegant black hair, light brown, joyous eyes, and the smile that could light up the most miserable room._

"_Not as beautiful as you." Harli blushed when she turned back to face her partner. His face wasn't lying, it was sincere and thoughtful. A smile crept across her lips as she bowed her head so he couldn't see her steaming face._

_For the first time, a guy actually called her beautiful. The word, it was so foreign._

"_Do you wanna get out of here? Go have a drink at my place and hang out for a while?" Harli didn't hesitate and only smiled and nodded._

_It didn't take long for Watson to drive back to his apartment in the city. Harli rarely spent time in the city and more in her hometown of Lilburn, only a few miles outside of Atlanta. But the bright lights of the city only added onto her wonder, the car rolling deeper and deeper into its midst._

_Watson opened her door and helped her out, leading her into the large building that towered over them. They took the elevator to the ninth floor and arrived at apartment twelve. He opened the door with his tangled ring of keys and led her in._

_She stared around the apartment as she walked in, seeing it surprisingly clean and kept for being a bachelors dwelling. She walked further into the living room, seeing a large couch and TV occupying the space._

"_You like it?"_

"_I wasn't really expecting it to be so..."_

"_Clean? You should know by now, I'm not a slob." He laughed and walked into the kitchen, pulling down a large bottle of whiskey and pouring two glasses. He turned back towards his partner and handed her the glass,_

"_To a good night." The glass rung happily as they clanked together, Watson downing the small amount of liquor in only a few swallows. He looked back down, seeing Harli staring at her glass questioningly,_

"_Something wrong?"_

"_You know I don't drink." She tilted her head and looked up at him thoughtfully. He nodded and smirked, looking down,_

"_Yeah… I just thought you would trust me enough to do it around me." He stared at her as she looked back down at the glass. She always told herself she wouldn't drink because of the demons she faced when her father drowned in it. She didn't know how she would react with tasting the devils nectar, fearing she would end up like the man she dreaded if she liked it._

_She tilted the glass on her lips and downed it quickly, the warm whiskey tingling her throat as it entered her belly._

_She heard Watson gasp and finally opened her eyes to see him staring at her with surprise. She choked out and coughed, "What's that look for?"_

"_I honestly didn't think you were going to do it." He chuckled to himself. Harli blushed slightly and set the glass down on the counter next to her,_

"_Here, I got you something." Harli turned back to him and her eyebrows knitted together as she watched him rummage around in his pocket. Slowly, he pulled out a small silver box and held it out in front of him for her to take. She stared at it for a few moments, anxiety taking over her nerves as a hard lump of air chokingly slid down her throat._

_Taking the box from his hand, she slowly opened the top and her eyes widened. She carefully clamped the silver chain in between her fingers and pulled it out as she stared at the dangling pendant that twirled in front of her face. A blue gemstone was engraved in the shape of a heart on the front of the pendant while the rest was encased in silver._

_Her green eyes trailed up to his smiling brown irises, "Do you like it? I wasn't sure whether to get you the heart or the circle… I guess it's kinda like a late get-well present…" He rubbed the back of his head and Harli couldn't help but shake her head lightly and stare up at him with a smile,_

"_I love it, it's beautiful." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. She pulled her face back down, and all of a sudden, time seemed to stand still. Before Harli knew it, Watson's hands were already placed softly on her cheeks as he leaned down and gently placed his warm lips on hers._

_Harli froze for a moment and didn't know what to do. Watson was stealing her kissing virginity, but she didn't want to be awkward. How embarrassing would that be?_

_She placed her hands and hooked them around the back of his neck. She felt his hands trace down her neck, to her shoulders, and eventually around her waist. With a kiss that seemed like forever, it finally ended._

_Harli cold feel her face heat up and Watson smiled at seeing the rosy blush gleaming on her cheeks, "That's just adorable."_

"_Shut up…" She huffed and looked away to avoid his playful glance. He pulled her in closer and she felt his warm breath caress her ear,_

"_You don't have to be scared." She knew he could sense the fear and anxiety radiating around her body, not to mention the tense muscles that clenched under her tan skin. She took a silent, deep breath and calmed herself, feeling Watson's warm hand creeping up her back. As he turned his head she placed her lips back on his._

_Sure she __**had**__ mixed feelings about him since they were inducted partners, but now, right now, at this very moment, in her head, there was no doubt about it. Her feelings were confirmed and she wanted his love a million times more than he wanted hers._

_She didn't realize she was moving in all the cloudiness of her mind and felt a cold surface brush up against her back. Soon she comprehended that she had been pressed up against the wall just outside the kitchen. Their two bodies finally met and the kisses between them were longer and more anarchic to Harli's satisfaction. She had never done this before and she was going on sheer instinct._

_And maybe a few things here and there she saw in the movies._

_She felt his fingers claw at her bare legs and up past her hip. She flinched and broke a kiss and Watson bowed realized where he had touched, "I'm sorry…"_

"_Don't worry, it doesn't hurt that bad." Harli gritted her teeth under her lips at the throbbing pain of the recently unstitched scar on her hip. She took a deep breath after running her hand softly around the healing laceration under her dress and then stared up at Watson, his eyes filled with guilt and worry. She watched his Adam's apple bob in his throat as he swallowed a large lump of air, she lifted her hand to his face and his eyes immediately filled with doubt,_

"_Maybe we shouldn't do this… I don't want to hurt you…"_

"_I'll be fine."_

"_Yeah but you just got the stitches out the other day. It was a pretty bad cut and you're healing-" His lips were stopped by her and she broke the kiss after a few good moments, staring into his light brown eyes,_

"_I'll let you know if it hurts, I promise." He was hesitant, but the persistence in her eyes overgrew and he managed to overcome his fears. Giving into his desires, he pulled Harli into another devastatingly pleasant kiss. In all the chaos that began to ensue, Harli kicked off her heels and Watson pulled the clip out of her hair, her curly dark locks falling in between her shoulder blades. He gripped his arms around her hips and lifted her, moving towards a room that Harli figured was his bedroom._

_She was right. He set her down on the cushioned sheets of his large bed and he hovered over her with a smile. Their lips locked once again and she felt his hand move behind her shoulder; she arched her back and heard the zipper on the back of her dress slowly unzip. His hands were warm and soft, flawlessly moving across her sensitive skin and pulling off the shoulder straps of the black attire. _

_She felt the cool air of his bedroom hit her naked skin as she felt the dress being slid off her chest and past her thighs. She could feel her face heating up under the darkness in sheer embarrassment, even though she wore a strapless bra. She tilted her head to the side and stared at the wall through narrowed eyes, but her contact with the dark blue walls was cut short as Watson's hand rubbed against her cheek and pushed it to face him. He smiled a small, warm smile and tilted his head,_

"_Are you sure you want to do this? I really don't want to hurt you."_

"_Like I said, I'll let you know if it starts to hurt." Watson, yet again, hesitated and deliberated whether or not to proceed. He sighed to himself; he already had her undressed and she was the most stubborn person he knew._

_Speak of the devil. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted herself from the bed and her lips found his once again. Like two ball dancers, their lips moved fluently against each other and Harli's tongue sneakily glided across his bottom lip, him taking no time to allow her tongue entrance._

_He pressed her against the bed and his hands began to get greedy. He slid it up at down her stomach, across her uninjured hip, and down her thighs. He broke from her mouth and began to feverishly kiss her neck and down across her collar bone. Goosebumps rose on her skin and she gasped out from the sheer pleasure of his soft kisses. His fingernails raked lightly across her stomach and back up to her chest where she felt her bra sliding off her bosom._

_Her heart began to race faster when she failed to notice that he had already taken off his shirt. The muscles of his strong arms contorted under his skin and he was warm, so incredibly warm that she just wanted to press up against him and never let go. She grabbed onto the bed sheets as his lips kissed her collar bones, down between her breasts, and down towards her hips. She felt a tingle when he, very carefully, kissed the healing lesion on her injured figure. _

_And in one swift motion, she felt her underwear come off._

_She closed her eyes and felt him hovering over her again. She felt his warm kisses on her cheek and finally met with her lips again. Her fingers tangled in his tame black hair and she moved her thighs apart on each side of his hips._

_It was now or never._

_His hand dipped under the small of her back and she felt to warmth of his body radiate as he slowly pressed up against her. His hips moved in between her legs and she arched her back as he-_

Harli's eyes exploded open as her heart throbbed and her mouth gaped open with panting tiredness. Her eyes searched around her and she leaned up quickly, staring down at her dirty jeans that sucked against her skin. Her eyebrows knitted together and she wiped her hand across her forehead, a rather fair amount of sweat clasping onto the back of her hand.

She then realized that she was in her prison bed, in her prison cell, in the prison of the apocalypse.

She growled to herself as her boots met the floor, her elbows resting on her knees as she doubled over and rested her face in her palms, "How is it every time I have a good dream like that I wake up at the best moment!?" A groan escaped her lips and she failed to see who was standing in the doorway of her cell,

"Hey, Harli…?" Her head flicked and she saw Carl staring at her as his face grew curious. He tilted his head as he stared at her shimmering, sweaty skin,

"Why are you all sweaty?" Harli tried to swallow a rather stubborn lump in her throat,

"I uh… was just having a really good dream."

"About what?"

"Disneyworld." Carl narrowed his eyes as he grew even more confused,

"Why Disneyworld?" Harli got to her feet and she smiled, waving it off while scratching her head,

"Don't worry about it! It's really nothing… so… what's up?"

"I was actually coming to wake you up. My mom wants your help with something."

"What is it? Where's everyone else? What time is it? Is there something wrong?" Carl smiled and stared up at her over his shoulder,

"You sure are asking a lot of questions. Just come on, we gotta go to Hershel's cell." Harli quickly grabbed her hatchet, pistol, bow, and quiver from the corner of the room, throwing their straps over her head to rest on her shoulder and shoving the pistol in the back of her waistband, hatchet hanging from the strap on her belt. She followed the small man out of her cell and the two watched as Lori and Beth walked back in from the back room. Lori smiled at Harli as she carried crutches towards Hershel's cell, nodding towards her,

"Come on you two, it's time." Harli and Carl glanced at each other before pursuing after Lori. The two came to a stop and Harli smiled upon seeing Hershel as he sat up in the bed, wheeling his leg and a half off the side of the small mattress.

"Go ahead, take your time." Lori held up the crutches and looked over at Harli,

"Come help his left side, Beth's got the right, and I've got the front."

"Of course." Harli quickly moved forward as Hershel latched onto the crutches. Harli grabbed his arm and helped hoist him up on his foot as he struggled to gain his balance.

"Daddy, don't push yourself." Beth pleaded as she and Harli each stabilized him on his sides while Lori helped him gather his grip on the crutches. Hershel only grunted with dissatisfaction and ignored his daughter,

"Easy there Hershel. One step at a time." Harli said as he was losing his balance on her side.

"What else am I gonna do? I can't stand staring at that bed any longer." Hershel grabbed onto the crutches and immediately began to try and walk, only to lose balance in the process. The three women steadied him and brought him back to his only balancing foot. This time, he hesitated for a moment before proceeding on. He began to get the feel of the crutches and moved forward slowly and steadily,

"You know… they're pretty steady." He looked over at Lori and then back down at Carl, who stood in the entrance way, staring up at the older man. They slowly moved out of the cell and Lori smile,

"That's a good start."

"We should put retractable knives at the end of these." Harli laughed and smiled, Hershel looking over at her with a thoughtful glance,

"That's not a bad idea." Lori sighed with discontent and stared at Harli with an accusing look. Harli only shrugged and chuckled to herself while Lori pushed on his chest to stop him,

"Take a rest?"

"Rest…? Let's go for a little stroll." Hershel moved past Lori and began to slowly course along on his crutches. Harli and Beth followed after him and Lori looked down at Carl,

"It's not like you can stop him." Harli kept her hand on his shoulder as they made way towards the door that lead into the courtyard,

"You sure about this, daddy?"

"I ain't gonna sit in here and rot all day. If I'm gonna build my strength, I might as well start right now." Hershel stopped at the door as Harli opened it,

"Here, I'll go first and watch his front." Lori moved past Harli into the small, dark corridor and Beth and Harli stayed by his sides as he proceeded forward. Harli narrowed her eyes from the bright exterior as Lori opened the other door. She heard the growling engine of Hershel's Chevy as they exited, seeing that someone was backing it towards the Hyundai in the courtyard.

"Harli," Her attention was knocked back to the task at hand as she saw Hershel already at the base of the stairs. She put her hands on him softly, careful not to be giving him too much help, with one hand on his chest and the other on his back.

Slowly, he made his way down the steps, his torso top heavy and swaying more towards Lori. She put her hand on his chest and steadied him as he continued to climb down the stairs. The cage around them seemed to stabilize his stature as he exited, finally being able to stretch out the crutches in a longer strides.

"Looks like it's coming naturally to you." Harli smiled while she and Lori walked next to him. Hershel looked about in the courtyard, staring at the cleanliness,

"I ain't gonna let somethin' like this take me down. Sittin' round like a lump all day… I won't have any of it." The Apocalyptic-Santa-Claus slowed his pace once gaining to upper hand of the crutches, "The bodies are already cleared out? It's startin' to look like a place we could really live in…"

"Watch your step… the last thing we need is you fallin'." Lori tried to exclaim in concern, but Hershel only shrugged it off. They moved past the bleachers and slowly began to come to a stop,

"You're doin' great, daddy." Beth smiled and Carl looked to the one legged man,

"Ready to race Hershel?"

"Give me another day… I'll take you on."

"I got my money on Hershel." Harli smiled and dipped Carl's hat in front of his face playfully, Carl grunting and straightening his hat out while looking up at Harli with a smirk. The five looked out across the prison yard, seeing Rick, Daryl, and Glenn staring back at them at the sight of Hershel being on his leg. Harli put her hand to her forehead and saluted to the three men,

"Amen to you, Rick." She smirked and looked over at Hershel and he nodded,

"You can say that again."

Harli felt her skin tingle and she knitted her eyebrows. The odd sensation crawled up her spine and she halfcocked her head, her ears picking up a very familiar sound. She noticed Carl turning at the sound curiously as well, her eyes struggled to look up as she turned, but when they did, she wished her eyes hadn't set upon the atrocities before her.

"Walkers!" Carl's frantic voice entered her ears, startling Lori and Beth, Hershel only turning.

"Shit!" Harli's hand yanked her pistol from the back of her waistband and took aim, taking the first shot and knocking down a Walker precisely. She heard more gunshots, but paid no mind as she concentrated with the threats that quickly approached,

"Daddy, come on!"

Chaos began to ensue as the Walker's began to split up, targeting different individuals among their animalistic instincts. After taking another shot, Harli looked over to see Beth leading Hershel to a staircase. Beth screamed as a Walker jumped at her and Harli ran forward, staring down the sites and blowing the brains of the Walker against the wall.

She heard more gunshots and looked over her shoulder, seeing Maggie, Carol, and T-Dog running up with their guns blazing,

"That gates open!" T-Dog stopped next to Harli and raised his pistol, pulling the trigger and sending a Walker plummeting to the concrete below its decrepit feet. Harli rushed forward,

"We have to close it!" T-Dog pursued after his brown haired friend as they mowed through the endless horde. Harli slammed into a Walker and shoved it back through the gates, jumping back to her feet and shoving another Walker back with her foot,

"Get outta there Harli!" She heard T-Dog shout as a gunshot quickly followed his voice. Harli rammed against another Walker and watched it fall to the ground. She yanked out her hatchet and slammed it into another Walker's head, soon staring over her shoulder,

"Shut the gate and latch it the best you can! I'll try and draw some away so they don't try and get through!" Without another word, she immediately shoved through the crowd of Walkers as T-Dog stood in the gateway, staring at her in shock. He growled and his fingers latched onto the gate as he pulled it shut,

"Come on! Come on you ugly pieces of shit!" Harli shouted while waving her arms as she maneuvered through the crowd of ravenous Walkers. They reached over for her as she stumbled her way through, their fingers missing her by inches.

She broke through the horde and her legs kicked into overdrive as she sprinted through another courtyard, her eyes searching for any way out possible. The area of the prison was foreign to her and finding an escape route would prove difficult. She saw a door and slammed into it, her hand frantically searching for the handle as she stared over, seeing the crowd of corpses rushing towards her. She yanked at the door handle and it wouldn't budge.

Locked.

"Damn!" She growled to herself and gripped the handle of her hatchet tightly as she rushed forward once again as the Walkers were fast approaching.

She slammed into something hard and stumbled back, falling to the ground, scraping up her arms and elbows. She looked up at saw yet another horde of Walkers crowding over her, watching as the one she slammed in to struggled to get back to its feet. Crawling backwards on the ground, she looked over to the side and saw an iron door wide open and taunting her. She took a deep breath and flipped over on her stomach and reached her knees forward, her feet finally connecting to the ground. Taking off in another dead sprint, she looked over her shoulder as the two hordes combined and chased after her like cat and mouse game.

Her hands connected with the door and she swung into the jet black corridor, slamming the iron door behind her. She jumped when she heard the Walkers slam up against the door and stepped back, her heart racing and her hands shaking from the throbbing adrenaline that pumped through her body. Panting, she heard a clanging noise behind her and held her breath, listening to what the culprit could be. Taking a deep breath and swallowing a dry mouthful of air, she slowly pulled the bow off from around her neck and clicked on her flashlight. She reached over her back and pulled out an arrow from her quiver, docking it and raising her bow to illuminate the path in front of her.

Her feet slowly moved forward and she walked to the end of the corridor where it had broken into. The pounding limbs of the Walkers on the door slowly meshed and faded with the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears. Her skin crawled when she heard snarling from around the corner and stopped, lowering her bow to where the flashlight pointed to the ground. She slowly poked her head around the corner and saw the dark figures of many Walkers approaching her position. She leaned her head up against the wall and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. There was a hallway about twenty feet away, but that would mean exposing herself and causing more danger.

Her eyes flew open and her heart just about leapt out of her ribcage when a loud, blaring alarm began to sound through the prison walls. They were muffled by the concrete walls inside, but that didn't stop the Walkers from becoming enraged. She heard their snarls and growls becoming louder and she quickly made a dire decision.

She jumped out from behind the wall and quickly darted towards the hallway. The Walkers attention was grabbed by her sudden appearance and scurried after her like a hungry pack of lions. She elevated her bow and followed the thin glow of the flashlight as fast as she could without running into any walls or dead ends. Light glowed through the bars of a gate and a small, very small, rush of relief curled itself into her heart. She panted as she ran faster, her teeth gritting as she plead in her mind.

_Please don't be locked._

_Please, don't be locked…_

_**Please**_**… don't be locked!**

Her hands gripped onto one of the iron bars as she shoved forward, the door heaving under her body weight and creaking open. With the door giving way so easily, she stumbled forward and fell to the ground. She looked behind her and saw that the Walkers were already entering the large room. She jumped up and grabbed her bow along the way and ran towards another door.

She let out a yelp as she was tackled to the ground, hearing a loud snarl caressing her ear. She felt the cold, decaying flesh of a Walker sliding against her skin as it attempted to claw at her flesh for a bite. Her fingers gripped at its neck, her eyes only staring at one thing: its yellow teeth chattering in her face. She heard more footsteps and looked over, seeing the horde she was running from were almost to her, readying to feed on her warm body.

Her arms became weak from the Walkers nonstop and persistent fighting. Her eyes darted back up to see the ugly face of her opponent getting closer and its mouth beginning to form drool as it dripped from its lips. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes once the putrid breath of its mouth rose into her nostrils.

_Is this really it?_

Her ears suddenly rang once she heard a loud gunshot echo throughout the concrete walls of the large room. She flinched went she felt something splatter all over her face and panted from shock once the body was kicked off of her. She heard more gunshots and a hand on her wrist as she was yanked to her feet and towed along. She grabbed her bow as she stumbled along, seeing the large figure jerking her towards an open door. She looked behind her and saw the horde of Walkers stumbling after them while trying to step over their fallen comrades.

Her eyes jumped forward as the being threw her through the door, Harli almost falling to the ground once again. She looked over her shoulder, seeing the person slamming the iron door shut as it tried to lurch open under the force of the Walkers impacts. The persons hand shoved the lock through the iron stop, their other hand occupied by a black, tactical shotgun.

"Don't move." The figure froze as Harli's voice was serious, her bowstring pulled back with an arrow ready to fire right into the strangers back. Harli panted lightly and stared hard into the black sweatshirt the unfamiliar character wore, the hood curling up the back of their neck and over their head. Slowly, the person's hands rose into the air,

"Turn around slowly and don't make any sudden movements or I'll plunge this arrow straight into your heart." Her tone was low and venomous, but the stranger took no time to heed her word with their threat at hand. Slowly, they turned along with Harli and she slowly moved behind the strangers back, not wanting to meet whoever it was face to face. Finally, her back faced the door, and the stranger's front faced the hallway before them.

"Walk." She could tell by the hands, and the rather large stature, that this stranger, was indeed, a man. His feet moved slowly forward and they walked through the large corridor, making way towards the end slowly and carefully. She cleared her mouth of saliva and it slid down her throat tenaciously, almost to the point where she choked on it. But her sights kept clear on his back, watching every movement he made to make sure he had no challenging actions.

By herself, with a strange man that was much larger than she, was not a game in her eyes.

She heard a scuffle and gasped, releasing the anticipated arrow from the dock of her bow. She heard a clank and realized that she had completely missed her target as the bow was slammed out of her hand and skidded across the concrete. He grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, slamming her up against the wall as her face beat against the concrete. She growled as she felt his body lean up against her back, hearing his scruffy voice in her ears,

"Nice try."

She felt an intense pain in the back of her head her eyes immediately went black.

**o.o**

Harli felt a cool and soft breeze flood across her skin, making Goosebumps crawl their way through her lightly tan flesh. Her head throbbed with an unimaginable pain and a low groan emanated in her throat as she tossed her head about. Her eyes were open, but all she saw was a sea of intense blur and the faded darkness of the room. She coughed lightly and clenched her eyes shut for a few moments before opening them again.

The light grey, cracked ceiling stared her in the face as her eyebrows knitted in pain. She took a couple deep breaths and did her best to lean up, ignoring the surging pain going through her head. Her shaking hand rose and ran over the back of her skull, her mouth gaping open as she hissed in pain. A large, hard lump occupied the back of her noggin and she observed her bloody fingers, tilting her head curiously, wondering how it got there.

She suddenly remembered the hooded stranger and her eyes widened in revelation. She looked around the room she was in, seeing papers strung about, posters on the wall, a window, and a desk with trinkets strung about. She looked down once she actually felt the surface she sat upon, feeling the cushioning seat of a couch and soft sheets of a blanket.

She was incredibly confused at her situation, seeing her blood staining a dirty towel that covered the pillow she was lying on before. Her eyes spun lightly as she stood to her feet, stumbling a bit before she gained her balance. Looking on the desk, she saw her weapons strung out safely on the shabby counter, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. She looked towards the door and saw it wide open, knowing that at any time, the man could enter the room.

She slowly grabbed her pistol and moved towards the door, placing her finger on the trigger. She stopped at the edge of the doorway and peeked around the corner, seeing the manly figure hunched over another desk. She paid no attention to her surroundings and took a deep breath, lurching from the doorway and standing a safe distance away from him, her gun pointed.

He heard the scuffle of her boots and stopped what he was doing, slowly turning around to face her. He was not armed this time, making Harli both nervous and confused.

Her gun began to shake uncontrollably in her hand and her balance began to become staggered as she stared him in the face. Her heart jumped and began to beat faster in her chest, her eyebrows knitting in confusion and her eyes narrowing in suspicion. Harli's lungs pumped once she began to pant, not believing what she was seeing before her. A warm sensation crawled up her throat as she struggled to choke out her words and her arm fell to her side. With her hand bumping against her thigh, she heard the clang of her pistol hitting the ground, paying it no mind once she felt her eyes well up warmly with recognition.

"Watson…?"


	28. Chapter 28

"_Rick!? Glenn!? Anyone round here!?" Daryl cried as his desperate, raspy voice echoed off the concrete walls of the prison. His eyes searched around as he quickened his pace towards the iron door leading into cell block C,_

"_Maggie!? Hershel!?" He stopped and glanced into one of the cells, seeing signs of habitation but no sign of any of his group. He saw spatters of blood on the walls and small pools littering the floor, his reflection in the dark liquid staring back at him in the face. His face was confused and his blue eyes muddled as he continued to walk through the cellblock, stopping at Harli's. _

_He noticed her dirty backpack lying on her bed and walked in, looking around for a moment before grabbing it and tearing open the sack. He didn't know why he was looking through the backpack and didn't know what was going on, he just needed to find someone._

_Anyone._

_His hand felt a soft, but firm object tickle at his fingers as they latched onto it. Yanking it out, he stared at a nameless book with a shriveled leather cover and his eyebrows slowly knitted together. His thumb yanked up the cover and stared at the page filled with clumped sentences written out in black and blue ink. It was no a book, but a large journal. Flipping through more and more pages, he saw them filled with the same pen ink from top to bottom, the pages wrinkled with water damage._

_He heard a snap and looked down to his feet, seeing a white piece of paper staring him in the face. He snapped the journal closed and threw it down on the dirty bed, kneeling down and picking up the paper with his rough fingers. Looking at the blank, crinkled, thin piece of paper, he flipped it over and stopped, staring at the two faces in a photograph._

_Harli's smile glared at him and her green eyes sparkled while she stood next to a tall man. His black hair was trimmed nicely and he was dressed in a black suit, standing next to Harli with an arm wrapped around her shoulder._

_For the first time, and possibly the only time, he saw Harli with makeup, in nice clothing of her working uniform, and her hair put up in a bun. She was very beautiful, although Daryl wouldn't admit it mentally or verbally, and she looked safe. Her expression wasn't destroyed by less-than forgotten yesterdays and her body, by what he could see on her bare arms, neck, and legs, weren't riddled with dirt, scars, and blood._

_Daryl's head whipped around when he heard a scream echo through the doorways of the cellblock. He crumbled the photograph up in his hand and ran through the door in which he came, doing the best he could to follow the echoes. He flicked on the flashlight that was taped to his crossbow, entering the shadows of a windowless and doorless corridor._

_He stared at the sphere of light that touched the walls as he slowly maneuvered through the hallways and around corners. His finger lightly hovered over the trigger, an arrow loaded in the dock, and his feet moving cautiously with each step. He walked as fast as he could to hurry towards the scream he heard and somehow he knew where it was; where it came from._

_Water dripped from the ceilings and the cold air inside the corridors wafted through the air, making chills run through Daryl's skin. He slowed when he heard something dragging across the floor, his heart pumping as he stood on edge at what was beginning to round the corner. His finger brushed against the heavy trigger and he stopped, seeing something peek out from behind the corner. The skidding sound became lighter and Daryl's eyes narrowed when a figure stepped out from behind the corner._

_Daryl stared at it through the sights of his crossbow as its head bowed to the ground between its shoulders. His head tilted when he noticed the blood stained on the figures shirt and that it was dragging a bow in its fingers. All of a sudden, the female figure dawned on him as he noticed the wavy brown hair stained in blood clasped to her skin and the all-too familiar bow that drug across the ground as she moved._

"_Harli?" Daryl bit at her in a harsh whisper and she finally came to a stop. A hard lump of air slid slowly down Daryl's throat as he watched her head raise and her eyes stare at him. His breathing began to become heavier as he stared at the blood dripping from the fresh bite mark on her neck. His eyes darted back towards hers and slowly, she began to take small steps towards him._

_His hands steadily shook on the cold frame of his crossbow as she closed the distance between them. Small whimpers escaped her pale lips and her deep silver eyes stared at him pleadingly. His jaw tightened when she stopped and slowly stretched out her jittery arm, her fingers reaching up and brushing against the limbs of his crossbow. She hadn't been dead for very long._

_Daryl's worst nightmare._

_He felt his crossbow dipping and saw her pushing the edge of it down to face the ground. The flashlight was brighter than he normally remembered and even though his crossbow still pointed at the ground, the light brightened the hallway. His teeth gritted together as her cold, solemn face stared at him, not paying her bow any mind as it dropped from her fingers to the ground._

"_What do I do?" He mumbled to her, hoping that under all that white skin, through those silver eyes, and beneath all the blood caked her clothing that some part of her would hear him. But instead of listening, she only tilted her head and moaned while taking another couple steps towards him. Reaching her hand up in the same manner, her fingers brushed across his cheek and a long breath escaped her lips._

_Daryl grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away from his face, staring down at her with an unrelenting rage brewing in his chest. She tried to pull her wrist from his grasp but he didn't let go. Turmoil slithered through his skull and sunk its guilty teeth into his brain. All this happened because he wasn't there to protect her, to make sure she was safe and secure._

"_What am I supposed to do!?" He shouted with cursing venom and Harli's undead corpse stared at him with innocent eyes. He breathed roughly at the boiling anger in his core and finally, his ears picked up what he had been waiting for,_

"_Kill… me…" He didn't want to hear those words in a cold, dying voice that he didn't even recognize as hers anymore. He threw her wrist from her grasp and the force caused her to stumble sideways towards the wall. Taking a deep breath, he watched as she slowly recovered and his fingers brushed over his knife, not knowing what to do. Harli's head turned back towards Daryl and he averted her lustful gaze,_

"_I'm sorry…"_

"_Oh no… would you just look at this? Turnin' into a big pussy you are… baby brother." Daryl looked over his shoulder and his doubts were cleared when he saw the sly smirk of big brother Merle staring at him. Looking down at his hands, he saw them both intact and finally deemed Merle as another apparition here to show him the way out._

"_Look at this little whore! What'd you get yourself into little Darlene? Gotta say you sure have lost your taste, I'm disappointed!" Merle's hand wrapped around Harli's neck and he slammed her up against the wall, his knife sliding into her dead flesh. Daryl couldn't move against his brother as he smirked and laughed, looking over at Daryl,_

"_Can't even take care of yourself against one of these dead heads?" Merle looked back at Harli and tilted his head, "I bet she was a pretty one when she was alive."_

"_Merle-!"_

"_Daryl…" A chill went up his spine and he looked over, staring into the familiar apple green eyes of Harli. Her bite mark was got, his skin was kissed softly with a tan, and her clothes were completely clean. She had tears staining her cheeks and her lips quivered, "Please don't let your brother kill me…"_

"_It's so cute seeing you try to make a decision for yourself." Merle laughed while staring at his flesh and blood, "Don't you see, baby brother? This bitch is just draggin' you down into a bitin' pit! I'll save you time and time again, just as I always have!" He yanked the knife from her throat and plunged it deep into her chest, twisting it and smirking while blood seeped from her lips and dripped off her chin,_

"_No!"_

Daryl's eyes whipped open and he stared at the prison ceiling before lurching up and staring around. It was dark, most likely in the early morning hours, and all he could hear was the labored breathing that exited his own mouth. He quickly rubbed a hand over his brow, feeling the cold sweat that formed along his hairline.

Grunting, he got to his feet and stared down the steps of the perch he slept on, slowly taking them one by one until he got to the bottom. He looked over his shoulder, staring at the cell Harli claimed as he own and walked towards it, his crossbow in tow. Peeking in through the open door, he saw the empty bed and even her backpack that sat in the same exact place in his dream. He deliberated whether or not to pursue the events of his dream in fear that it would lead to the same outcome that caused him to wake up in the first place.

His attention was suddenly drawn away when he heard the baby fussing about and leading up to a loud cry. He walked towards another cell and stopped, seeing Glenn and Maggie sitting on the bottom bunk of the bed with the baby safely cradled in Maggie's arms. Daryl looked to the ground and then walked in, staring at the child's unsettling face,

"How's she doin'?" His raspy voice was quite as he stopped and leaned against the wall. The couple looked up to him and Maggie shifted the baby's weight on her lap,

"She's doin' good, just time for another snack." Maggie leaned down and grabbed a full bottle of formula from under the bed. The baby's small arms tossed about and she whimpered in her small frame in discomfort. Glenn looked down at the infant,

"We're already almost out of formula."

"She have enough till mornin'?" Daryl asked curiously and Glenn looked up at him with a nod,

"Yeah… me and Maggie are gonna go for a run tomorrow afternoon, we decided. She doesn't have any clothes, a bed, nothing…" Glenn stared at Daryl's demeanor in the moonlight and his eyebrows narrowed,

"What're you up for anyways? The baby wasn't making that much of a fuss, was she?" Daryl's eyes looked from the baby, contently sucking on the bottle Maggie had given her, to Glenn and he shook his head, shouldering his crossbow,

"Can't sleep."

"Is it because Harli's not back yet?" Glenn asked blatantly and Daryl's jaw tightened as he looked back down towards the baby. Glenn sighed to himself and looked down at the baby as well,

"You know… if she does make it back… finding out about Lori and T-Dog's death, maybe Carol's, you know how guilty she's going to feel? She was good friends with all of them." Daryl didn't say anything and only continued to stare at the innocent infant. Glenn and Maggie exchanged glances while she fed the child,

"I'm goin' out to look for her. Try to find at least somethin'." They looked up to Daryl upon hearing his words,

"But you don't even know which way she went. She was with T-Dog and Carol the last time I saw her." Maggie said and Daryl only shook his head,

"I've gotta try, don't I?"

"Daryl, I'm not saying it's a bad idea to go look for her, I mean, I want to, too. But with Rick off the deep end and the baby being here… we're going to need you if something happens again. Besides, it's dark out… you things she's dumb enough to try and find her way back in the dark?" Glenn did have a point and Daryl's mind tore and tore apart. The dream had punched him in the gut numerous times and the anticipation of her return, if she was even capable of doing so, was killing him. Sure, he and Carol had gotten close, too, but he knew that she had a lesser chance of surviving than Harli did.

Harli was just something worth fighting for.

Even though he wanted to go try and find her, anything, he knew Glenn was right. With Rick missing in action, he was the only one who had ability to protect and guide the group in case of an emergency. With the grim, hourly events now in their past, anything could happen at this point and Rick could be dead for all they knew.

All they could hold onto was whatever little hope they had left.

**o.o**

"How long have you been here for, anyways?" Harli sat in a chair across from her long lost friend, staring into his light brown eyes. The only thing that lit up the room was a large lantern on the warden's desk. Greg stared at her without a word, drinking from an old water bottle in his dirty hand. His scruffy face told one story, his eyes, another,

"I'm not entirely sure anymore…" His voice was rough and distant and Harli's green eyes couldn't stop staring at his broken face. He sighed deeply and she pulled a blanket over her shoulders as the cold concrete walls began to eat the warm air,

"What happened? Why didn't you try to get away from here?" She asked and e leaned back in his seat while staring at his water bottle, rubbing his thumb across the plastic container. He then looked up at her, his eyes distant,

"There was a prison riot, and when I say riot, I mean the entire prison population uproared. This infection, or whatever the hell it is, took no time to completely wipe out two thirds of the entire prison. A few more officers and I locked down what we could and began execution. Whoever wasn't careful got bit and that's when I knew the effects of what happens with physical contact. I killed people that we used to work with, friends, and prisoners that didn't have the capabilities to survive. A lot of whatever prisoners were left managed to escape… but I stayed here. I knew it was safe. Food and water became an issue, so I went to the cafeteria and found a small group of surviving prisoners."

"Tomas and the others?" Watson's eyebrows knitted together and he stared at her curiously,

"How do you know about them?"

"The group I'm in… we ran into them a couple days ago while investigating the area we're in. Unfortunately, most of them didn't make it out alive."

"How is that?" He asked while Harli leaned her head on her hand, her body and mind tired from the days events,

"Rick killed them. They wanted what we had and he refused to give us up so when they retaliated he took care of it."

"Serve's Tomas right… his head was never in the right place." His soft, southern accent broke through the air and Harli nodded in agreement. Greg looked at her curiously, "So… you have a group of people you've been traveling with?" She looked over at him and nodded,

"Yeah… I've been with them for a while… all going on for about over a year now. They're very good people. We've been through a lot for a long time and yesterday we were attacked out of nowhere…"

"I heard the sirens going off. What caused that?"

"I don't know… I'm just hoping everyone is alright. We've already lost so much along the way; we deserve a break for once."

There was a moment of silence between the two long lost friends before Greg stood to his feet and pushed his chair back against the desk. He looked out the window of the wardens office and then back down at Harli, "You should get some sleep. Tomorrow I'll take you back to your group in cell block C. Two heads are better than one, especially if all those corpses are still lingering around the area." She stood up and he grabbed the blanket from her shoulders,

"You go ahead and sleep on the couch in the back room there where you woke up. I'll keep a post out here for a while."

"Are you sure?" She asked and he only nodded in reply. Harli turned around, walking back towards the room she woke up in. Stopping in the doorway, she looked over at him once he had turned around. He rubbed the back of his head and Harli took a deep breath,

"I know it's been a long time since you've seen people and you've been cooped up in here by yourself… but I'm going to talk to my group about letting you in. You'll have a higher chance of survival that way and I've seen you use a gun…" Watson looked over his shoulder at her and she grew curious to his answer. She could sense the change that took him over and he was definitely not the same person she remembered him to be. But she wanted to help him in any way she could and having another productive member of the group wasn't such a bad idea either.

"I'll think about it."

**o.o**

"Ya'll bout ready over there?" Daryl asked he yanked back the bowstring on his crossbow and loaded a bolt. He, Oscar, and Carl were going to take a sweep of the lower parts of the prison to make sure the area was clear of Walkers.

"Yeah, just gotta go get my machete and we'll be set." Oscar walked out of the room in search for his weapon and Daryl glanced at Carl, who readied his pistol. The others sat around the benches, finishing off their breakfasts in silence. With Rick coming in earlier, signifying that he was indeed alive, and leaving with such short notice left everyone a bit dejected.

Daryl was a bit irritated by Rick's reckless actions in leaving the group desolate, and most importantly, Carl in his time of need. But he understood the events leading to Rick's break and Daryl had to step up to try to lead the group onto a better tomorrow while he worked to try and fix himself on Lori's untimely death.

Daryl stood up and walked towards Carl as he shoved the pistol in the holster on his waistband. Carl looked up to Daryl as he approached, but said nothing, "You ready kid?"

Carl nodded and the two looked over their shoulders to see Oscar running back into the room, "There's some chick and a guy trying to get in the cell block from the other side."

"What do you mean?" Daryl walked towards him confusingly and stared at the taller man,

"I don't know I saw a guy's arm stretch through the bars of the door on the other side of the cellblock. He has a set of keys and don't look familiar to me."

"That's not good, they might be more prisoners." Glenn stood up and Daryl darted past Oscar,

"Guess we won't know till we find out." Daryl ran towards the cell block, hearing the rest of his groups footsteps behind him as he closed in on the location. He yanked his crossbow up and shoved the stock against his shoulder once he rounded the corner, staring through the sights of his scope.

He stopped when he came face to face to those all-too familiar, apple green eyes of his female companion.

"You're alive?" He mumbled more to himself than her, hoping that it wasn't a dream. Harli smiled at the sight of him, and the rest of her scattered group showing up behind him,

"Daryl…" She saw all but Rick, Hershel, Beth, Lori, T-Dog, and Carol show up behind Daryl. Carl stood behind Daryl and Glenn and Maggie smiled, walking past him as Maggie and Harli embraced in a hug,

"So glad you're alright. We were losin' hope."

"I don't blame you guys after what happened yesterday." Harli said as she and Maggie broke the hug. Glenn took notice to the dried blood on her face,

"You okay? You gotta little-"

"Yeah I'm fine, just a nasty bump on the head that's all."

"Who the hell are you!?" Harli looked over to Daryl to see his muscles tense and his face lit up in a red alert. She looked behind her to see Watson glaring back at Daryl with his pistol pointed towards him, his finger ready to pull the trigger,

"Woah there guys, put the weapons down!"

"This ain't a good time to be bringin' strangers round here, not after what happened yesterday." Daryl retorted as he glared at Watson, seeing the familiar face of the man in the photograph from his dream staring him in the face. Harli looked back at Daryl,

"I realize that… but he's a friend. He saved me yesterday from a horde."

"Who is he?" Glenn asked beside Daryl and Harli noticed he was on edge too. She looked back at Greg, who continued to point his gun at Daryl's menacing face,

"His name's Greg Watson. He was my partner when I worked here, back in the day. And trust me when I say he's a good friend of mine I've known him for a while." She looked back at Greg, "Put your gun down, you're not here to fight." Greg looked over at her for a few moments and then back to Daryl, who held his own and trusted his instincts. Knowing that he was out matched, he slowly lowered his gun and placed it back in the holster, putting his hands up,

"Like she said, I'm not here to fight."

"Daryl." Daryl glanced down at Harli from the corner of his eyes, "I understand the situation that unfolded yesterday and why you're so cautious… lower your bow so I can talk to you guys."

Daryl looked back at Greg, who continued to keep his hands raised in the air to signal he was not a threat, and hesitated. Finally, after a few moments, he lowered his crossbow but continued to glare at the unfamiliar male. He swiftly turned around and walked back the way he came and Harli didn't notice, but she saw Carl pointing his gun at Greg as well, but Daryl pushed his trigger hand down and walked past him, Carl following after Daryl shortly.

Harli sighed and looked at Glenn and Maggie, who only stood silently beside her, "I know that we don't tolerate strangers that well, but I wanted to talk to Rick and see if he might make an exception to letting Greg be with us." Glenn shook his head,

"Harli, I really, really don't think that's a good idea right now."

"Why? I'll just go talk to Rick and we can-"

"Stuff happened yesterday. More than being overrun by the Walkers." Harli knitted her eyebrows together in confusion, not knowing what Glenn meant exactly. She looked back at Watson and he stared at her solemnly with his light brown eyes,

"If this isn't the right time then, I'll just go."

"Greg, wait. You don't have to leave yet we still can-"

"You know where I am now. I'm still not a hundred percent on this whole group thing… and it's obvious you have some things to settle with them other than me." Greg exchanged glances with Maggie and Glenn before turning around and walking back towards the exit door of cell block C. Harli turned back around towards the young adult couple and sighed,

"So what's going on?"

"Come with us." Maggie turned around and Glenn looked at Harli glumly before pursuing after his flame. Harli's mind played different scenarios as she followed them into the indoor courtyard and stopped, seeing Hershel, Beth, Carl, Daryl, and the prisoner Oscar all occupying the room.

Tilting her head, she saw a small infant cradled in Beth's arms as she rocked her back and forth in a dirty blanket. Harli's brow crease and she looked to Glenn, who sighed, "When the Walkers overran us, you weren't the only one who got separated. Lori went into labor and had the baby but… she didn't survive."

Harli's lips parted in dread and she noticed Maggie looking at the ground with shame. She looked back at Glenn when she remembered more faces that didn't seem to be in the room either, "What about T-Dog? And Carol?"

"T-Dog got… swarmed… he didn't make it. We have no idea where Carol is either… we're assuming she's dead, too." Harli put a hand to her mouth when the confirmation of her dear friend's death finally hit her. Her hand then went to her forehead as sudden guilt took over her face,

"I left them in that courtyard by themselves… I could've helped, I could've brought them back…"

"Don't you dare start puttin' the blame on yourself. There was nothing you could do." Maggie looked at Harli and Harli only shook her head, staring at Carl. Her heart burned when she looked back to Glenn,

"Is Rick…?"

"He went completely off the deep end when he found out about Lori's death. He grabbed an axe and went on a Walker-killing rampage and ended up in the boiler room where Lori was killed. He came back a little bit ago just before you showed up; we don't know what's up with him. He hasn't even paid any mind to the baby since then, either."

Harli swallowed a hard lump of air down her throat and choked down whatever tears that wanted to escape. There was no time for crying at the moment, grieving for her recently demised comrades could be saved for later.

"We think you're the best candidate to go talk to Rick." She looked over to Hershel, seeing him sitting sideways on the bench with his stump resting on the metal. Harli looked around at everyone before returning her gaze back to Hershel,

"Do you know where he's at right now?"

"I think he said he was going back to the boiler room." She heard Glenn state from behind her and stared back at him with a nod,

"Show me the way and I'll go talk to him. See if I can't bring him back to us."

"We're headin' in that direction we'll just drop you off along the way." Daryl walked past her with Oscar and Carl in tow, Harli watching them pass her and exchanging glances with Glenn before following after them. As they walked past the cells they now lived in, she saw the empty beds of her fellow comrades, now realizing that some would never be lied upon again.

The four walked in silence through the dim, cold corridors between cell blocks, keeping a lookout for stray Walkers in the area that Rick may have missed. Harli noticed that Daryl had slowed up a bit from the front and now walked next to her. Harli looked at him briefly, waiting for him to say something, but he only stayed silent and she looked back in front of her as they continued through the concrete hallways.

"Where the hell did you end up after we were attacked anyways?" Harli looked over at him upon hearing his voice, seeing that he wasn't staring back at her. She looked back ahead as they rounded another corner,

"The gate that was open, I ran through it and drew some of the herd away while T-Dog was closing the gate behind me. I knew that as many as there were they'd bust right back through the gate no problem."

"That was stupid of you to do." He mumbled and flicked his flashlight around, looking around corners cautiously as they walked. Harli sighed to herself,

"Yeah, well you seem to think everything I do is stupid so I'm used to it by now." She retorted back and he finally looked back at her,

"Yeah well you bringin' strangers round after all we been goin' through has got to be the flame on the candle." Harli stopped and stared at Daryl with a large pout, questioning his tone of voice. He stopped and narrowed his eyes, seeing the accusation in hers, "What?"

"What's your problem?"

"I ain't got no problem with nothin'. I'm just sayin' I thought I taught you better than trustin' strangers so easily." Harli stared at him in doubt and shook her head,

"I tried to tell you that I knew Greg, I worked with him. He was a good friend of mine when we worked together. He's a good guy."

"Didn't look so sweet and innocent with that gun pointed at my face."

"I don't think it helped the situation that he had an bolt pointed at his." The two stared at each other venomously and Daryl let out a scoff,

"The guy ain't good, I'm tellin' you."

"How would you know? You haven't even given him a chance."

"Don't have to. Just the vibe pourin' off his skin is enough for me. He may have been a good guy back then, but people change and he can be a whole different person than before. You'd best take my word and stay plenty away from him." Harli crossed her arms and stared at him irately,

"What're you gonna do if I don't?"

"Don't test me."

"Jealous much?" She raised an eyebrow Daryl leaned towards her with a scoff,

"What the hell is there to be jealous of? He ain't nothin' special." Daryl wheeled around on the heel of his boot and began walking after Carl and Oscar. Harli stared at his tense back and shook her head, hearing Daryl call after her and point,

"Boiler rooms down that hall! Don't be pickin' up stray mutts on your way there." Harli rolled her eyes and once the three men disappeared, she slowly began to make her way down the hallway Daryl had pointed to. She annoying stepped towards the door and stopped sighing to herself and staring at the decaying letters that marked the door's name.

Grabbing the handle, she pulled the squeaking door open and looked in, seeing a small set of stairs leading down into the room. She walked in and the door softly closed behind her and she rounded the corner, seeing Rick standing by a table. She noticed a copious amount of blood on the floors and a drag marks leading down a thin hallway. She looked back up when she heard Rick shift, seeing his gun pointing at her face.

She froze once stepping off the last step of the stairs and he stared at her confusingly for a few moments. Once recognizing her, and believing that she was still alive and actually standing in front of him, he lowered his pistol and put it back in the holster on his belt.

"Harli…?" She smiled softly and walked towards him and Rick embraced her in a hug, feeling that she was real and not an apparition. After a few moments, Rick pulled back and stared at her averting his eyes guiltily, "Sorry we didn't go look for you… after all our losses yesterday… I thought-"

"It's fine. I'm fine now… the others wanted me to come talk to you, see how you're doing." His figure may have been clean, but she could see in his blue eyes the turmoil that was warring in his head.

He was not in good shape.

"I'm alright. Just tryin' to figure some stuff out." He turned around and walked back towards the cluttered table, Harli noticing a dirty telephone sitting on the edge. Towards the table, she sat down on a stool and watched his movements, seeing them tense and abrupt. Her eyes found his face,

"I'm sorry about everything that happened. Especially about Lori, I-"

"Don't say anymore. It's over and done with now." He looked over at her and Harli looked down, leaning on the table,

"Is that what you think? It's over and done with?" She knew he wasn't accepting the reality, "Rick, nothing is ever done and over with. Especially when everything happened yesterday and the people we lost." He shook his head and laughed to himself,

"These days that's all we can afford to do is be over and done with. We don't have the time or energy to grieve anymore or remember those we've lost. All we get to do is run, hide, and hope we don't get found out by Walkers. I try my best to keep ya'll safe… but I just can't seem to do it right"

"Is that what you think? That all these things happened because you weren't strong enough?" He only stared down at the table and bowed his head between his shoulders. Harli sighed and stared at him worryingly, "I don't want to be spouting religiously to you because it's not my place to mingle… but things happened for a reason. We live, we survive, we die, that's what we do. I know you try your best, we all do, but there are some things that you just can't avoid. I don't think you realize how great a leader you are, how strong you've been for all of us. If Shane was the one that came out on top instead of you, we wouldn't have nearly gotten as far as we have now."

She heard him sigh to himself and Rick looked up at her, his face solemn and distant, "I couldn't protect them, T-Dog, Carol, Dale….. Lori…" He struggled to say her name and Harli sympathized with him for his late wife,

"You still have all of us. You have Carl and your newborn child sitting up there waiting for you to love them and cherish them like you have nothing else to lose. We're here, in this prison, safer than we have been in months. All we have to do is make things better for ourselves and do what we can to survive. You've been so focused on trying to fix a shattered mess, but maybe it's not about fixing something that's broken, maybe it's about starting over and creating something better for ourselves."

"I have something better… somewhere we can go and leave our worries behind." He replied with whole-heartedness and Harli stared at him a bit confused. He grabbed the telephone that was on the edge of the table and slammed it down in front of her, leaning on the table and resting a hand on his hip, "Someone called me on this phone, claiming where they're at is safe and secure. They haven't had an incident in a long time. I talked to a girl, and a man, and whoever calls back next I'm gonna convince them to tell me where it is so I can check it out."

Harli's eyes flicked back and forth from the phone, to Rick and he stared at her strongly. Harli reached her hand down and picked up the phone, putting it to her ear as he continued,"We can go somewhere safer… where there are more people to help protect us."

Harli didn't want to stare at him alarmingly when she heard absolutely nothing on the other line. Not a dial back tone, not a ring, nothing but dead silence. She nodded at him and placed the phone back on the cradle, "Well, do you know when they'll call back?"

"I'm not entirely sure yet. After the first person I talked to, the second called about an hour later, so I'm hoping that I'll be getting the next call soon." Harli looked at the floor, her head starting to get even more worried for her close friend. Not wanting to distress him anymore than he already was, her green eyes flicked back up to him, "Rick… you need to talk about Lori… I'm here, I'll listen. I can help you." Rick sighed and rubbed a hand down his face, shaking his head,

"I told you, there's nothing to talk about. I'm done with it." Harli sighed to herself and jumped off the stool, looking up and him and putting a hand on his arm, "I'll be your ear if you ever need to talk… but keeping it all in and not letting it out is going to destroy you in the end. Don't take the selfish path; you still have family that needs you up there and their worried about you."

He didn't reply and she only turned around and carried herself up the steps of the boilers room. Following the gloomy hallways back to her cellblock, the only thing that floated around in her mind at that point was Rick's state of mind. Not Watson, not Daryl's jealous behavior, only poor Rick.

After all and everything he's done for the group, he just doesn't get a break.

Light hit her face as she looked up, finding herself back in the small cafeteria of her cell block. She walked towards Hershel and sat next to him, sighing and resting her face in the palm of her hands. Hershel stared at her with his deep blue eyes and Harli clasped her hands together, resting her forehead on them, "You're right… he's completely broken."

"What do you think happened?" Hershel asked in his southern tone and Harli looked over at him,

"Lori's death flung him off the deep end. His helplessness, the blame he's putting on himself… it's completely eating him alive. He's hearing voices on a telephone down in the boiler room, saying that people are calling him and telling him there's a place without incident, somewhere where we can all be safe."

"But there's no power? How is that possible?"

"He's had a psychotic break." Hershel let out a deep breath and stared at the table, his mouth drawing into a thin line under his white whiskers.

"He's hearing things that shouldn't be there… I prodded and prodded, trying to get him to talk about Lori and about the situation. But he shot it down every single time."

"Daddy, we're getting ready to leave." Maggie came peeking around the corner and Hershel and Harli looked over, seeing her geared up. Harli's eyebrows knitted together curiously,

"Where're you going?"

"Glenn and I are gonna take a run to a market we found in the phone book. The baby needs supplies."

"Can I go with you guys?" Harli asked and Maggie nodded in confirmation,

"Yeah, of course. We'll need all the help we can get I suppose." Harli looked back at Hershel as Maggie disappeared around the corner,

"While I'm gone, can you try to talk to Rick if you see him? Getting him to talk will help him better than he thinks."

"I'll do my best, don't worry. In the meantime, you take care of Glenn and Maggie out there, you hear?"

"Of course I will."

**o.o**

Harli saw out in the distance a small town slowly growing as the three young adults made their way to the grocery store. Harli leaned her forehead against the window of Hershel's old Chevy and groaned softly in her throat, closing her eyes and trying to rid her mind of the hectic events that unfolded over the day. She was tired, not being able to sleep much during the night before, and hungry, but that wasn't going to let anything stop her right now.

"Daryl didn't seem too happy to see that guy you were with."

"Yeah well, he can bite me." Harli mumbled and watched the yellow lines of the road pass as Glenn drove. She fiddle with a string on the edge of her tank top,

"You said he was a friend?" Glenn looked at her from the rearview mirror and Harli grinded her teeth annoyingly,

"Yeah. He was my partner when I worked at the prison. We were pretty close I wasn't expecting to run into him there."

"Maybe when Rick gets better, talking to him about letting the guy join us will be easier." Maggie vouched and Harli only continued to stare out the window. Glenn looked over at Maggie,

"I don't know if that's a good idea. You know Daryl won't like it." He didn't intend for Harli to hear it, but she did. She only rolled her eyes and shook her head, tearing the string off her tank top and throwing it through the thin opening on the window above her.

"Daryl just needs to stop being a child and grow up." Harli didn't know why she was being hostile, she just was.

Glenn stared worryingly at Maggie, who scolded him with her eyes, and only looked forward through the dirty windshield, seeing the street sign that the grocery store was supposedly on. Slowing down and turning the wheel, the truck straightened itself out,

"There it is…" Maggie mumbled and adjusted herself in the seat, leaning forward as she saw the large supermarket. Harli took notice and leaned forward between the front seats, seeing the many abandoned cars that littered the parking lot. Glenn pulled forward towards the front doors and parked the truck, killing the engine, and looking at the girls,

"Keep an eye out."

Without a word Harli opened the truck door and closed it quietly behind her, pulling the bow off her back and docking an arrow. Her head moved back and forth while she scanned for any sign of Walker movement, seeing none, which was a bit odd to her. She walked behind the truck and looked about the sea of cars around her.

Without seeing a Walker in sight, she turned around and walked back towards the entrance of the store. Looking up, she saw Maggie and Glenn kissing, and while rolling her eyes she walked up to them,

"Get a guard tower you two." She smirked and looked in the open door of the truck, seeing the bolt cutters waiting for them on the seat. She grabbed them and handed them to an approaching Glenn,

"Thanks for ruining the moment…" Glenn mumbled to her and Harli held her smirk,

"That's pay back for five months ago." Glenn grunted and walked towards the front doors, snapping the link of the chain and yanking it off. It fell to the ground with a clang and Glenn yanked open the door, releasing a string of birds that flew at them. The three ducked as the birds angry, flapping wings threatened to attack them. But the birds took refuge in the sun and flew away, leaving the three young adults to their duties.

"I'll keep watch." Maggie volunteered and Harli exchanged glances with Glenn as he clicked on his flashlight, Harli nodding for him to proceed as she raised her bow and pointed it on the door. The two walked in and Glenn looked around, pointing his flashlight around in different directions. Harli clicked on her own flashlight taped on her bow and looked around for any stray Walkers that might want to surprise them in the end.

She heard Maggie calling out to Glenn for him to grab some toys and Harli began to look around for the infant section. She saw scattered items all over the floor, seeing that someone had at least been here before. Stepping cautiously through the aisles, and walking deeper into the large store, she looked up to a sign above an aisle as it hung from a chain that desperately tried to clasp onto it. Tilting her head sideways, she saw that the aisle contained the infantile items that they needed. Looking over her shoulder,

"Hey Glenn, I found all the supplies." She said aloud, but not too loud to alert any nearby Walkers. As she walked into the aisle, staring at the many bags of diapers and canisters of formula, she heard Glenn's light footsteps jogging up behind her.

"Woah, if that's not a jackpot I don't know what is." He looked around and saw a red hand basket lying next to them, grabbing it and looking at Harli, "Let's get all we can and get out of here I don't want to stay out longer than we have to. More risk."

Harli nodded and walked past him, shining her light on the shelves and looking for items the infant might need. She didn't know much about babies, and a lot of her family didn't have many, so she had to just wing it. She noticed some clothing hanging from some racks and reached for them, staring at the sizes and getting confused. Small? Medium? Large? Infant? Toddler? Small Child? What the heck did these people measure in?

Grabbing a mass of the clothing, she threw it in the basket, along with many canisters that Glenn was beginning to stack. Harli grabbed some diapers and a few toys, stuffing them in her backpack and doing the best she could in helping. She heard Glenn grab the basket and hoist it up, "Let's go, I think we have what we need for now."

"Alright." She followed Glenn towards the blinding light of the front door, tripping over items that managed to jump out in front of them on the floor. Maggie waited patiently for them and Glenn laughed as they stepped out,

"We just hit the powder formula jackpot!"

"Oh, thank god!" Glenn stopped next to Maggie and Harli only pushed past them, throwing her backpack on the back seat and ripping it open. She dumped out all the clothes and diapers,

"From here on out, it'll be a straight shot back to the prison from here. Maybe we'll make it back just in time for dinner!"

"We should try to find a barbeque, that would be the best." Harli smiled and Glenn nodded,

"That's not such a bad idea. Grilled chicken? Oh god…"

"Yeah keep dreamin'." Maggie laughed as Glenn loaded all the supplies he and Harli gathered. Maggie sighed,

"I miss the quiet. Back there, back home? I could always hear my side of the fence no matter where I go." Glenn and Harli looked back at her and she smiled, holding another basket in her hands.

"Now where is it ya'll good people callin home!?" An unfamiliar voice shouted and in an instant, Maggie, Glenn, and Harli's weapons were drawn and pointing at the perpetrator.

Harli stared at an older man with a shaved head, blood dripping from the bridge of his nose, and an old flannel hanging from his handless arm through the sights of her bow. She restrained herself from sending an arrow between his eyes, but with a knife of the mechanism on his stumped arm and a pistol aimed at her face begged her otherwise.

"Merle?" Harli looked over at Glenn briefly before staring back at the man,

"You know this guy?"

"Y-Yeah… he was in the group a while back…" The man started laughing in disbelief and put his gun down on the ground and his knife in the air, staring at Glenn with a makeshift smile,

"Oh…. Wow!" Merle began approaching them fast and too close for comfort, making both the woman on edge,

"Hey! Back the hell up!" Maggie shouted and the man looked at her, stepping forward slower but not stopping,

"Okay! Okay honey, Jesus!"

"You made it…" Glenn stared at Merle and his face slowly lost the smile,

"Can you tell me, is my brother alive?"

"Yeah."

Merle laughed in relief and nodded his head, his hand and knife still raised in the air to signal he wasn't a threat. Harli was a bit confused on what was going on, but at that moment, she kept her arrow aimed at the strange man, whether he and Glenn knew each other or not. Harli was apprehensive of the menacing vibe he was giving off,

"Hey, uh… you take me to him. I'll call it even on everything that happened in Atlanta. No hard feelin's…" Glenn didn't say a word and Merle caught him staring at the contraption clinging to his handless arm. Merle began to laugh and shook the knife, "You like that? I found myself a medical supply warehouse… fixed it up myself. Pretty cool, huh?"

"Glenn, give me one good reason I shouldn't put an arrow in his head." Harli bit and the man stared at her accusingly. Glenn sighed and gripped his pistol tightly, not taking his eyes off Merle,

"He's Daryl's brother…" Harli's eyes jumped to Glenn, but he didn't look at her. Harli's heart began to throb heavy in her chest as she looked back at Merle, barley seeing a resemblance between the Dixon brothers,

"Look, we'll tell Daryl you're here and he'll come out to meet you."

"Woah, woah, woah! Just, wait, hold up!"

"Back off!" Harli warned and Merle gave her another fearless look before focusing his attention back on Glenn,

"Hey, the fact that we found each other is a miracle… come on now, you can trust me!" Glenn began to get serious and the defense in his voice rose,

"You trust us… you stay here!" Merle stared at him and slowly, his eyes began to turn dark and restless. He smirked and laughed in his throat before shouting and reaching into the back of his pants,

"Gun!" Harli shouted and the three darted out of the way, hearing a loud gunshot blasting out the back window to the Chevy,

"Where's Maggie?" Glenn asked while he and Harli had taken cover on the driver's side of the truck. Out of fear, Glenn jumped up and ran around the back, Harli, the front of the truck until the two came face to face with Merle's knife pressed tightly against Maggie's throat and his pistol pointed into her temple,

"Woah there hold on! Hold up, buddy, hold up!" He looked behind him, seeing Harli's bowstring pulled back and the arrow pointing at him. Looking back to Glenn,

"Let go of her! Let go of her!" Glenn shouted and Merle shook his head,

"You and your little whore buddy back there behind me get in the car right now…. Get in the car son!" He warned and Glenn looked up at Harli, shaking his head. Harli slowly let the bowstring back to its original position and Glenn put his gun in the back of his truck, lifting up his hands to signal his defeat. Merle looked over his shoulder to see Harli putting her hands up as well and he nodded, "Alright… okay… now we're gonna go for a little drive!"

"No, we're not goin back to our camp." Glenn shook his head and Merle smirked,

"No… we're goin' somewhere else!" Merle waved his gun violently, "Get in the car, Glenn! You're drivin'!" Glenn jumped at his shout and nodded his head with his hands still up in the air. Merle got to his feet and yanked Maggie to hers, turning around to face Harli. He pointed his pistol at her face with the knife to Maggie's throat, a wicked smile strung on his face,

"You, in the passenger's seat, come on now!" Harli slowly walked towards the door and yanked it open, setting her bow down on the floorboard of the truck and crawling in. She and Glenn exchanged worried glances as he started the truck, hearing Maggie whimper when Merle threw her into the back seat,

"You hurt her I'll rip your throat out." Harli felt the gun press up against the back of her heard and a laugh escape his lips,

"This ain't the time to be barkin' out threats to me Apple Eyes, so just shut your mouth before you start wearin' your brains as jewelry!"


	29. Chapter 29

Harli stared at the door of the cold room she dwelled in, waiting for a stranger to come walking in through the door. Her wrists were duct taped to the arms of the old wooden chair, disabling her from trying to escape easily. She chewed on her bottom lip nervously, not being able to hear Glenn or Maggie in the other rooms, thinking that she must have been farther away from them than she thought. She looked down at her wrists and yanked, but her shaking hands didn't budge. They were so tightly wound by the tape that she was beginning to lose the feeling in her fingers. She grunted in discontent and looked around the bland room, trying to find some type of way out.

But there was nothing.

She heard the doorknob click and looked up, seeing it swinging open and the familiar face of Merle walking into the room. He shut it behind him and slowly walked up to her position, grabbing a chair and swinging it around where he sat on it backwards. Harli choked down whatever saliva occupied her mouth, but her tongue was dry from the sheer nervousness of being around so many menacing, strange men.

Merle stared with Daryl's equally blue eyes, boring into her face curiously. She stared back with distaste, not saying a word to him. Knowing that she wouldn't start the conversation, he pulled out her knife and admiringly stared at it in his hand, his stump gradually holding onto the chair he sat in. Looking back at her from the knife, his lips parted,

"This knife you carry round, you know where it came from?" Harli only stared at him, not wanting to engage in the conversation. A small smile crossed his face and his deadly eyes glanced back at her, "I gave this to my dear baby Daryl when he was just a little tike. I've never seen him cherish something so much in his life. Mind tellin' me how the hell you acquired it?"

A quick memory flashed in the back of Harli's mind from when she was wounded, remembering that she had lost her knife after she dug the bullet from her skin in the riverbanks. It was an extra knife he carried other than his own and he gave it to Harli to keep her safe. Ever since then, she kept it in the sheath on her belt, never letting it from her sight.

Harli took a silent breath and looked from the knife to Merle, "Daryl gave it to me a while back." Her voice was soft but Merle had heard it clearly. Merle nodded and smirked, slamming the knife's tip on the table, sticking it upright. Harli flinched at the sudden sound and watched Merle stand to his feet, pushing the chair away from him. He stared at her with his cold eyes, an amused smile crossing his face,

"I can see the fear in those eyes of yours… you're scared shitless! Not even Glenn and his little girlfriend look as scared as you are. You're like a dog cowerin' in the corner after gettin' its ass handed to it." He slowly walked around Harli and she took a deep breath, closing her eyes and waiting for something to happen. But after a few moments, nothing did,

"You have any siblings out there? Lost any brothers or sisters along the way?" Merle walked back in front view, looking down at Harli. She glanced up at him and shook her head,

"No. I was always an only child."

"Then you don't know what I'm goin' through." He leaned down and came face to face with her, resting his hand on her wrist for leverage, "You're pretty good friends with Daryl, right? Glenn tells me you two are close."

"I guess you could say that." She mumbled and he smirked, standing back upright and staring down at her,

"Then tell me where you're held up at so I can go see my precious brother… I'll take you with me, give you back to him packaged in bubble wrap to assure you're unharmed and you two can live happily ever after."

"The hell I will." She bit at him, her green eyes churning like venom in a rattlers fang. Merle laughed to himself and pulled the chair back in front of her, sitting back down,

"You don't seem too intimidated by me, no matter how scared I think you look."

"That's because I'm not."

"You know, the knife thing is still botherin' me." He glanced over his shoulder, then back at Harli as a smile grew on his face, "Glenn was sayin' I better not lay a finger on you unless I want to experience the wrath of my little brother. You guys been havin' slumber parties and braidin' each other's hair? You see, he was always the sweet one, Daryl… and I ain't never seen him take too kindly to much to anyone but myself. I'm a bit jealous."

His matter-of-fact tone made Harli's eyes narrow as she stared at him, avoiding his statement, "It's only a matter of time before Rick and the others get on the road and come looking for us. You're wasting your time talking to me."

"Oh come now, you know that sack of shit ain't gonna be combin' these woods for you! If he did anyway, how the hell he gonna find you out? You and your little buddies are stuck here till _**he**_ decides what to do with you." Harli's brow furrowed and she continued to stare at the southern man's amused expression. With her curiosity tormenting her, she looked down at the knife that was stuck in the table, trying to reach some sort of relief with the sweet memory behind it,

"Who is _**he**_?" Merle stood back up and walked back behind her. She shuddered upon feeling his fingers trace up her arm and across the back of her neck while he stood above her,

"The one that will decide whether to kill you or keep you round here. But in my experience, he doesn't keep many strangers around for very long."

"Then you might as well kill me right now, spare me the anticipation."

"Now I see what Daryl likes in you. Not just damn good lookin', but fearless." His hand latched onto her chin and he dipped her head back to look up at him. She felt the cold steel of his knife on her throat and her neck beginning to throb from being rammed against the back on the chair. She breathed heavily and stared into his icy eyes, seeing the determination in them,

"You're gonna tell me where the hell your groups held up or run my blade across your pretty little throat!" Harli gripped the arms of the chair tightly and stared up at the Dixon brother, gritting her teeth and narrowing her eyes menacingly,

"You don't have the balls!" She felt the blade of his knife stroke her neck and scrape down her arm until stopping at the edge of the duct tape. She saw his wicked smile string up his face and he laughed in his throat,

"Apple Eyes, I ain't gonna kill you, you're too much fun to talk with!" Harli's eyes widened when she felt an intense pain radiate through her body and cried out, feeling the edge of his makeshift knife plunging into her thigh. Her fingernails dug into the wood of the chair and one snapped off the edge of her finger, shifting the pain of her thigh to her finger. He yanked out the blade and let go of her chin, walking back in front of her. She panted and looked down at the blood that was beginning to slowly absorb into her blue jeans.

She moved her head to face him and saw a swift movement out of the corner of her eye. He head tossed violently to the side and felt the taste of blood in her mouth upon the impact. She felt his hard hand latch onto her throat as he slammed her back up against the chair. A tooth knocked loose in her jaw, but she paid no attention to it when she felt his fingers tighten and her breathing becoming strained, "Now listen here girly… my patience is runnin' thin with you. All I want now is my little brother's location, that's all I care about! Tell me right now or I'll snap your thin little neck!"

"Merle." A stern, southern voice bellowed throughout the room. She saw Merle's eyes turn from lethal to shock in a matter of milliseconds as he glanced at her one last time before releasing his deadly grip and leaning upwards. "I told you not to lay a hand on the woman."

Harli looked past Merle to see a taller man walking further into the room, one hand on his hip and a soft, charming smile occupying his face. Harli's jaw tightened not only from the pain the riddle through her thighs puncture wound, but just from the vibe that was coming off this new man that entered the scene. Like any loyal mutt, she knew Merle's tail was between his legs as he turned to face the familiar stranger. The man stopped and looked at Merle for a few moments of silence as if they had their own conversation with their glares,

"You're relieved of your duty for now. Close the door on your way out." He nodded towards the door and Merle hesitantly walked towards it, stopping in the doorway and giving one last glance at Harli before disappearing. She looked back up at the tall man as he approached the table, yanking her knife out of the wood and staring at her with greed. He stopped in front of her and Harli closed her eyes, waiting for the blade of the knife to threaten her skin.

She heard a snap and looked down, seeing the duct tape around her wrists being cut. She looked up at the man confusingly and he stepped away, sitting on the chair that Merle had beforehand. Harli hesitated for a moment, thinking that it was all a joke.

"Go ahead." The man nodded with a slow motion of his hand.

She looked down at her wrists and pulled them off the arms of the chair, latching her fingers onto the sticky substance and peeling it off her skin. She rubbed her joints to rid them of the numbness, feeling her fingers finally getting their touch back to them. As she rubbed her fingers over her hand, she felt the blood that stained her skin, remembering the fingernail that snapped like a twig against the hard chair.

"Where's Maggie and Glenn?" She asked in a dark tone, staring over at him as she rubbed a hand over the puncture wound in her thigh. Grunting in pain, she noticed his eyes only focused on her,

"They're safe... right down the hallway actually."

"Can I go see them?" She asked and for the first time since he sat down, he averted his eyes and smirked charmingly,

"Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I don't need you three conspirin' against me. You have to understand the position I've been put in."

"You don't seem like a very reasonable man." She mumbled and he nodded, still keeping his smile,

"I guess that's understandable coming from your viewpoint." Harli's eyes flicked to her knife still stuck in the table, her hand gripping her thigh tightly.

"That's not a very good idea." She saw his hand move and it hovered over the grip of his pistol tucked away in his belt holster. Thinking twice, she gulped and stared back at him,

"Who are you?"

"They call me The Governor here in my little establishment. I run the show, the person everyone looks up to." He shifted forward in his seat and she found herself being stared at with another pair of sparkling blue eyes. She held her face up high and kept her eyes radiating strong to make sure he couldn't sense any weakness in her.

"We're tryin' to find out where your trio is from. Depending on how many of you there are we were hopin' to bring them back here where you all are. It's safe and secure here, plenty of food, water, and shelter. You seem like you're capable of yourself, maybe we can make you into one of our protectors?" His voice was stern, yet appealing in his words as he offered more of a deal than he intended. But Harli wasn't stupid and a man such as him wasn't going to enchant her into giving up her group so easily. If The Governor and his compound were as friendly as he made them out to be, she and the others wouldn't have been taken hostage by Merle and locked in some underground lair duct taped to old chairs.

"You can charm me all you want but I'll take their location to my grave." The Governor smiled and leaned back in his chair, admiring her diligence,

"You and your friends are three in one… they're taking the same path. Your group must be close… your loyalty is definitely unwavering." He stood to his feet and slowly stepped across the concrete floor towards her, stopping and staring down at her. Harli managed to swallow a stubborn lump in her throat, finally gathering the courage to look at his face. She saw his hand move and barely felt his finger brush across her numb, bruised cheek. She turned her head and pulled away from his touch, staring at the wall as he spoke, hoping that he didn't take any motion to touch her anymore.

"I'm trying to be reasonable with you and your friends but you're all making it so much harder for yourselves. I try brutalizing your Asian friend and I've been thinking about humiliating his little girlfriend, now what do you think I can do to break your spirit?" He leaned down and almost whispered his articulations in her turned ear, Goosebumps rising on her flesh from the greed in his voice. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes, seeing his stare growing by the second.

"Don't you touch her…" She hissed through her teeth and he grabbed her wounded leg and dug his thumb into the lesion.

Harli lurched up in pain and clawed at his wrists, desperately trying to tear his thumb out of her wound. His grip was strong and not even both her hands could pull him away, "Tell me where they are…" His tone stayed calm and Harli shook her head, hissing through her tightly clenched teeth,

"I won't!" The Governor grabbed her by her throat and hoisted her from her seat, slamming her on the table behind him. She was astonished at his brute strength and she wriggled under his weight, trying to get out of his grip. He grabbed both her small wrists in one hand and dug his elbow in her sternum, holding her down tight while his other hand commanded her face to look at him.

His glare turned dangerous and she stared up at him, not being able to contain her fear any longer. She struggled with the pain in her body while trying to maintain her strength in ridding of this psychotic man that overpowered her. She panted and closed her eyes when he face hovered over her closer than her own comfort, "You'd be smart to tell me what I need to know before you make me do something drastic."

Harli clenched her eyes shut and The Governor narrowed his eyes when he felt her jaw tighten against his grip. She opened her eyes and stared at him in his own, "Do whatever you want to do… I'm not going down without a fight." She breathed and his eyes turned darker than before,

"Then I'll rip that fight right out of your core." His hand released her face and she felt it rip at her tank top and his rough skin touch her soft belly. Her adrenaline shot through her chest and her knee slammed into his groin, making him cough out and double over from the sudden pain. She quickly rolled off the table and crawled on her knees towards the door, jumping to her feet and slamming up against the knob. She gripped at it desperately but soon felt arms wrap around her waist and yank her backwards, throwing her into the wall.

She clamored to her feet and turned to face him, seeing his fist raging at her face. She quickly ducked and shoved her fist as hard as she could into his stomach, hearing him choke out and struggle for a breath. Knowing she didn't have the time to think elaborately, she saw the knife still stuck in the table that she had miraculously missed when he had slammed her down. Her feet jumped out from under her as she ran towards the table, reaching out for the knife in utter desperation. Her hands met with the table and her fingers finally touched the smooth surface of the handle, but her safety was soon ripped from her grasp.

The Governor rammed his elbow into her back, between the shoulders, making her lungs freeze and malfunction. She gasped out for air as she fell to her knees from the lack of strength in her legs, looking up just in time to see his swift boot catching the edge of her chin. She collapsed to the floor and her eyes blurred and spun as she stared blindly up at the ceiling above her. She felt his foot ram into her ribs and she gasped out in pain, grabbing onto her side and curling up to avoid any more bodily harm.

It was short lived when she felt him kneel over her chest and her vision managed to clear just in time to watch his fist swing down mercifully. Her head hurled to the side and her vision blacked out, only able to hear him get to his feet and walk across the room. She felt both her hands being drawn over her chest and an abrasive string being wrapped around her wrists. Tilting her head upwards in hopes of catching a glimpse of him, it didn't take long before her head tossed to the side once again in another feat of an unrelenting fist.

Not being able to comprehend much that was going on at that point, her head rattled and she lazily pulled at her wrists by pure instinct. She couldn't pull them apart as they were bound tightly by rope and felt The Governors rough hand latch onto her chin once again. He stared into her clouded, green eyes, seeing a window of vulnerability in her strong demeanor. He was surprised she held out as long as she did,

"You could have spared yourself all this agony if you just told me where the others are held up…" He felt her clench her jaw under his grip and watched her eyes close tightly, signaling her dedicated silence. His eyes were militant as he stared at her broken face, reaching down to her pant line and fiddling with the button on her jeans. Harli knew what was coming next and she squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could to the point where her eyes began to water.

Imagining she were in a better place.

**~*:*~**

The Governor stared down at the lifeless body that lied on the concrete floor, her eyes only staring at the ceiling. He wrapped his gun holster back around his waist and leaned down, grabbing her arm and yanking her to her feet. He watched her legs struggle to stand and he drug her back to her chair rather than waiting for her to try and recover.

Slamming her back into the wooden chair, he turned around and walked to the other side of the room, grabbing an almost-empty roll of duct tape off a shelf. He pulled the tape from the roll and rubbed it on her wrists, wrapping it multiple times back over the arms of the chair. He grabbed her lowered face and lifted it up so she could look at him. The bruises, cuts, and blood that disgraced her innocent skin bore at him as he caressed his thumbs across her cheeks lightly as if she would crumble into tiny pieces.

"Don't worry dearest… it'll all be over for you soon. I promise." He let her face bow back down between her shoulders as he let her chin go, making way to the door and leaving her to herself.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, she opened her eyes completely and stared down at her legs. She felt tears welling up in her eyes, all hope dwindling in the core of her heart as her body throbbed, all at once, wallowing in pain. Her foundation shook from the intensity of the assault that she had just experienced, her face numb with shame.

She stared at the blood that began to stain her jeans, feeling the bruising already taking place on her thighs. Her heart throbbed under her sore sternum and she clenched her eyes shut once again, pulling her head upright and groaning low in her throat. The soreness of her neck made her eyes open and blur from newborn tears, staring at the door that The Governor had recently left through.

There is poison in the fang of the serpent, in the mouth of the fly, and in the sting of a scorpion.

That wicked man is saturated with it.

His last words to her suddenly enveloped her mind and she wriggled her hands under the duct tape, yanking at them in attempts to get away. Even after everything she had just suffered, the scrutinizing pain and the agonizing humiliation, she wasn't ready to die. She had to get out, save Glenn and Maggie from their dawning execution, and get back to Rick and the others.

As if it were enticing her, she saw the blade of her knife flicker, seeing it barely clinging onto the edge of the table. She was surprised The Governor didn't snatch it in his greedy hands before he left, taking more precautions than necessary. But he was mostly preoccupied with her and the important information Harli had, doing absolutely anything to get what he wanted.

Harli's legs were unbound and she pushed forward on her feet, trying to lean and lift up the chair to walk towards the table. She fell back into the chair, hissing from the pain of the knife wound and heavy bruising in her thighs. Taking a couple deep breaths, she gritted her teeth and tried again, lifting the chair up behind her and stumbling towards the table.

Her face hovered over the knife and she proceeded to press her lips up against the dirty blade, closing her teeth down on it and lifting it up. She sat back down in the chair and panted from immediate exhaustion of pain, groaning but keeping her mind in the right place. Ignoring whatever distress signals her body was sending out, she leaned her torso down as far as it could and turned her fingers around, brushing them up against the handle. Her tongue struggled to avoid the sharp edge as she moved it in her mouth and reached it further towards her fingers.

Finally, her fingers managed to wrap themselves around the handle and she let out a held breath in triumph. Not taking more time to celebrate, she twirled the knife around backwards in her hand and slid it across the feeble duct tape, slicing through it easily and pulling her wrist up. The freedom was joyous and she quickly sliced the tape off her other wrist, yanking it off the chair and sighing in relief.

Not seeing the sheath to her knife anywhere, she slid it in her loosely tied boot and froze when she heard a voice outside the door. She swallowed a lump of air down her throat and leaned back in her seat, shoving her wrists back down on the chair arms, still with the duct tape on her skin, trying her best to mask the severed tape. She dipped her head forward once hearing the door open, a pair of heavy boots making way across the floor slowly. Her breathing began to become unsteady and her legs began to shake once more in fear that The Governor had returned.

"Sorry good-lookin', but The Governor has decided you and your little buddies fates." It was Merle's damaged and raspy voice that met her ears and Harli's eyes opened under the hair that dangled around her face. She felt his hand on her wrist as he lifted it up, "What the-?"

She suddenly reached her legs up to her chest and shoved them against Merle's stomach, knocking him backwards against the table. Harli sprung out of the chair and grabbed its front legs, lifting it off the ground and slamming it into Merle's back. She heard him grunt loud in pain while falling to the floor, hearing the familiar sound of steel on concrete. She saw his pistol stop on the floor and she quickly grabbed it, seeing Merle trying to get to his feet.

Harli booted him in his side and he dropped face first to the floor. She grabbed his shoulder and flipped him over on his back, jumping onto his chest and shoving the barrel of his pistol up into his jugular. Her free hand latched onto the collar of his shirt and she breathed heavily, staring at him with her deep eyes. He put his hands up to show his defeat and avoid being obliterated by his own gun.

He saw the bloodlust in her eyes; the deep hostility that suddenly erupted in them. They were so much more different than the bright, courageous orbs he had looked into when he first interrogated her. But now, they were all but smashed to smithereens. He wondered what The Governor had put her through; the lengths he went to in order to get the information he wanted.

"Now hold on there-"

"Don't move." She hissed, pressing the barrel of his pistol deeper into his neck. His Adam's apple bobbed against the cold steel and he continued to stare at the intensity in her eyes. She was conflicted, he knew, whether or not to kill him. That was the reason why she was taking so long to pull the trigger.

Her hand slammed against his neck and his jaw tightened, feeling her fingers gripping tightly into his rough skin. He grunted and she leaned her face down closer to his, the dangerous tone her voice took slithered into his ear, "You're lucky you're Daryl's brother… or I would empty the clip of your own gun into your head."

She slammed the butt of his gun into his temple, rendering him completely helpless for only a small window of time. She gritted her teeth and struggled to get to her shaking feet. Taking her knife from her boot and making sure the pistol was loaded, she slowly opened the door and poked her head out. Taking a much needed deep breath, seeing that the hallway was clear, she snuck out and shut the door behind her, resting the stolen pistol over her knife hand. She slowly moved through the hallways, not knowing where to go or where she would end up, she just wanted to find Glenn and Maggie and breathe fresh air.

She rounded a corner and stopped, eyes wide when she saw two men standing at the end of the hallway. Their conversation was cut short when they took notice of her appearance and their faces turned grim,

"Hey!" Harli narrowed her eyes and watched as they reached for their guns, but she didn't let their fingers get that far. With two gunshots from Merle's pistol, the two men died before they hit the ground.

"What was that!?" She heard another shout that had come from behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw no one and proceeded to go forward, this time, in a staggering jog. She jumped over the men she had put down, glancing at the bullet holes in their foreheads, and ran around another corner, seeing a doorway. She heard a vast amount of footsteps erupting behind her, and in a quick decision, she quickly darted into the dark room and shut the door quietly.

Her eyes fixated on the door as she back up towards the other end of the room. She swallowed down a deep breath and ran into a table, startling herself in the process. She closed her eyes and gathered her broken pieces, reopening them and looking around the room. A dim light over a desk caught her eye and she walked over, glancing over her shoulder cautiously before turning back around. She saw a flashlight lying lazily on the desk along with many anonymous items that she could care less about.

Grabbing the flashlight, she clicked it on, smacking it a few times when seeing it so dull, and shined it around the room. She saw numerous weapons and clothing strung about, peeking her interest as she moved about the room.

A certain object caught her eye and her flashlight immediately stationed itself on it, a small smile crossing her face. She stepped lightly across the floor to avoid being found out and hovered over the large table, staring at the companion she'd thought she'd never see again. She ran her fingers over the scratched and dirty camo finish of her bow, gripping the handle and lifting it up. With a quick examination, she pulled it over her shoulder securely and did her best to ignore the soreness that took effect.

Two loud explosions sounded and Harli crouched down behind the table, looking at the door as she saw shadows moving around the light of the door. Her fingers trembled around the grip of the stolen pistol as the anticipation of someone coming through the door wriggled through her body. A mass of gunshots came echoing through the hallway as more shadows descended on the concrete flooring. Her curiosity sky rocketed and she stood to her feet, walking cautiously towards the door with her hands both gripped tightly onto her weapons.

She opened the door and saw nothing but white smoke curdling through the air. Shouting erupted from the deeper end of the hallway and she dove into the smoke and followed the voices. She ran through a door and saw a pair of stairs leading up to, from what she assumed, a way out. The cut in her leg and the bruises on her inner thighs started to take their effect from the lack of adrenaline pumping through her veins. She took a deep breath and began to gimp towards the stairs, hearing screaming and a barrage of gunshots coming from the outside.

She was wondering what was going on. Was there a rebellion or did Walkers breach the walls? The stink of the smoke clicked in her brain and she stopped at the edge of the stairs. Why would The Governors brutes use flash bangs against Walker's if they managed to get down in the tunnels where she was being kept?

Unless they had military grade weapons or had come from the prison.

Harli's heart leapt in her chest and she jumped up the stairs sorely, finally realizing what had been going on. Rick was here, looking for them. But how did they find this place? If Rick were here, then so was Daryl. They must have used flash bangs at the end of the hallway to save Glenn and Maggie. She wondered if they looked in the room she was being held in and if she had just stayed in there, and then maybe she would be with them right now. So many questions flooded in her mind as she found another doorway, grabbing onto the door handle and readying herself for what waited for her outside.

She felt a hand grab her wrist and yank her backwards, her eyes catching sight of the ceiling as she felt her back slam on the wooden stairs. With each step, even though they weren't that tall, her body slammed hard against the stairs and she finally felt the cold concrete of the floor sting her skin. She rolled to a stop and struggled to breath, pain ramming through her body as she gasped for air.

A hand latched onto her arm and she saw the face of yet another strange man. Reacting with pure instinct at that point, she gritted her teeth and slammed her fist into his face. He fell to the side and Harli quickly crawled away from him, not being able to get to her struggling feet. He recovered from her hard fist and saw her crawling away, quickly getting to his feet and running after her. He grabbed Harli's ankle and slid her towards him, her fingers clawing at the concrete as he drug her across the floor. Harli kicked and shouted, trying to wriggle from his grasp.

She stared at the cold steel of Merle's pistol ten feet away from her desperately, trying to claw her way back towards it. She gritted her teeth and twirled herself on her back, yanking her free foot back and slamming it into his face. The henchman dropped to the floor and Harli jumped to her feet, stumbling towards the gun that taunted her happily.

Relief trembled through her once her fingers wrapped themselves around the grip of the pistol. She turned around and fired, but felt a firm hand around her neck and slam her up against the wall. His fingers squeezed her esophagus and she began to choke under his grasp, dropping the gun and grabbing onto his wrist and trying her best to pull him off. Her weakness exposed itself and Harli began to panic, but panic would lead to death.

Realizing her knife was still clad in her fingers, she rammed it up into his chest and his face turned to shock.

His grip faltered and she shoved him to the ground, panting and rubbing her neck as she watched blood beginning to seep from his chest wound. She leaned down and grabbed Merle's pistol off the floor and jogged towards the door, trying to get outside before anymore thugs decided to show themselves.

Harli opened the door and a mass of gunshots littered her ears as she looked about. Smoke enveloped the air and people were running about the streets in fear from stray gunfire. It was like a war zone and all the fighting was crowded around the front gates of Woodbury, Harli being on the other side of the town.

She took a deep breath and tried to steady her shaky trigger hand before descending into the battlefield.


	30. Chapter 30

Daryl trudged up the stairs of his perch and jingled his large ring of keys into his fingers, resting the key into the lock of the food cell. He walked in and stared at the varieties of food, his eyes searching for the exact item he was looking for. His icy blue eyes finally caught a glimpse of a plastic bottle and he knelt down, seeing a pallet of water bottles tucked comfortably under the bunk bed. Reaching his hand down, he stole one with a soft grip and walked out of the cell, locking it behind him.

Moving back down the stairs, he stood in the doorway of a base cell and slowly walked in, handing the water bottle to the shaky, weak hands of Carol. She stole it from his fingers gingerly and uncapped it, taking a few drinks before looking up at him, "Thank you."

Daryl heard voices from outside the cell block and glanced over his shoulder. He looked back to Carol and nodded his head, "You stay here, get some rest." He swiftly turned around and left the cell, walking towards the door leading out of the cell block. He slowed his pace and narrowed his eyes when he noticed Rick hovering over a black woman, speaking to her in low tones. She had blood staining her clothing and skin from head to toe, making him a bit suspicious.

He stopped in the doorway and Rick looked up, taking notice to his appearance. Daryl nodded towards the woman curiously, "Who the hell is this?"

Rick looked back to the woman, who tried to lean up, "You wanna tell us your name?" The woman only stared at him grimly and Rick repeated himself, but she kept silent and said nothing. Daryl took her silence as an opportunity to promote his surprise,

"Ya'll come on in here." His deep, raspy voice echoed through the silent room and Rick stood to his feet, looking over his shoulder at his right hand man,

"Everything alright?"

"You're gonna wanna see this." Rick nodded towards Hershel and then looked to Carl,

"Go ahead, Carl, you get back." Hershel moved expertly on his crutches towards Daryl and Carl retrieved a few bags before running back to the cell block. Rick grabbed the woman's katana and held it up as he backed away from her,

"We'll keep this safe and sound. The doors are locked, you'll be safe here, and we can treat that." Daryl's eyes flicked back and forth from the strange woman and Rick's back.

"I didn't ask for your help." She bit and Rick tilted his head before turning around towards Daryl,

"Doesn't matter. Can't let you leave." He marched past Daryl and Daryl turned around of a dime, shutting the door behind him and locking it securely with his ring of keys. Rick waited for him and Daryl glanced at him while walking by, leading him to the cell where Carol was staying.

Which just so happened to be Harli's.

Carol lifted her aching body up and smiled at Rick, he stared down as if none of it were real. Daryl smirked slightly and crossed his arms, watching as the two old friends embraced each other in relieving a hug. Daryl leaned on the doorway of the cell and watched as Hershel, Carl, and Beth and the baby all crowded around, Hershel taking his hug from her happily. "Poor thing found her way into a cell… passed out and dehydrated."

Carol took notice to the baby and stared at her in disbelief, looking back to Rick as if searching for some sign of Lori. Rick looked at the ground in shame and it didn't take Carol long to realize the reality of the situation. She put her hand to her mouth and tears filled her eyes, whispering an apology to the remorseful man. She walked towards the baby and took the soft infant into her arms, Rick pushing past Carol and Daryl followed him a few feet from the group,

"We need to deal with this woman."

"What's her story, anyways?" He asked while glancing behind Rick, seeing the woman latched onto the cell door, staring in at them,

"She showed up at the front gates, wounded and bloody with that hand basket full of formula." He pointed behind him and Daryl looked back over his shoulder to see a bright red basket full of containers of powdered formula. Daryl's blue eyes found Rick's,

"That's a grocery store basket…. Glenn said they were headed to a store."

"Exactly." Rick stared at him and Daryl's face twisted into a bit of confusion,

"You don't think one wounded woman could take on Harli, Glenn, and Maggie and triumph, would you?"

"She does have that gunshot wound on her leg, but I'm determined to find out." Rick looked past Daryl to Hershel, "Hershel." The older man looked up and Rick nodded towards him to follow. He looked back to Daryl, "Let's go find out what's going on."

Daryl grabbed his crossbow from leaning on the wall and walked towards the door, unlocking it and letting the three men in. The womanly stranger sat on one of the tables and glared at them as they trudge in, Daryl standing next to her with his crossbow tightly rested in his hands.

"We can tend to that wound. Give you a little food, water, and send you on your way." Rick rested his hand over the grip of his gun and the woman stared at each of the men in silence. Rick proceeded,

"But first you're gonna have to tell me how you found us… and why you had formula."

"The supplies were dropped by a young Asian guy… with two pretty girls…"

"What happened?" Rick asked in reply and Hershel's distress began to climb under his skin. Hershel tried to keep his worry under control,

"Were they attacked?"

"They were taken…" Daryl's eyes narrowed and his Adam's apple bobbed in his neck at the sound of the word '_Taken'_. He watched as Rick leaned down in front of her, waiting for more information to slither from the girl's mouth with anxiousness.

"Taken? By who?"

"By the same son of a bitch who shot me!"

"These are our people… you tell us what happened, now!" Rick grabbed her wounded leg and dug his finger into the lesion. The woman flailed in pain and jumped to her feet, Daryl's crossbow lurching up and pointing at her head. She pointed at Rick and he paced in front of her,

"Don't ever touch me again!"

"Better start talkin', or you're gonna have much bigger problem than a gunshot wound!" Daryl warned but seemed secretly surprised that the woman didn't even flinch at his threat. Her eyes narrowed,

"Find 'em yourself…" She hissed and Rick put his hand on Daryl's crossbow, pushing it down to avoid any more conflict. Rick walked between them and Daryl stepped back, his jaw clenching tightly as anger boiled under his skin.

"You came here for a reason…" Rick validated and the woman avoided eye contact with him, deliberating in her mind on what to say. She looked back up at Rick, her demeanor softening a bit,

"There's a town… Woodbury… about seventy five survivors. I think they were taken there."

"A whole town?"

"It's run by this guy who calls himself _The Governor_… pretty boy, charmin', the real Jimmy Jones type."

"He got muscle?" Daryl asked curiously, hoping that the establishment wasn't too protected so he could boot down the front doors with no hesitation. The woman looked to him,

"There are military wannabe's… they have armed sentries on every wall."

"Do you know a way in?" Rick asked while tilting his head slightly and the woman nodded,

"The place is secure from Walkers but… we could slip our way through." Daryl chewed on his lip and narrowed his eyes at the woman, half trusting her story and half thinking that it was complete bullshit. Rick glanced back at Daryl and then back to her,

"How'd you know how to get here?"

"They mentioned a prison. Said which direction it was in and said it was a straight shot…" Rick pointed over to Hershel,

"This is Hershel, father of the girl that was taken. He'll take care of that…" Rick nodded at her wound and then turned around while glancing at Daryl, their eyes holding a secret conversation as Rick walked past him. Daryl threw a quick stare at the woman before walking after Rick and shutting the door behind the two, but not locking it.

"I don't trust her…" The two men stopped and Rick looked back at Daryl, nodding his head,

"Yeah, I don't either but she's the only chance we got in finding Glenn and the girls." Daryl chewed on his lip anxiously and Rick sensed the moderate distress in his bones,

"We'll head out as soon as Hershel's done fixing her up. The sooner the better. I don't want Glenn, Harli, and Maggie staying there for too much longer; there's no telling what could happen to them."

"If the girl says they're as armed as they are, they could be tryin' to milk them all of information as we speak."

"That may be so, but there's nothing we can do right now. We don't want to get stupid and storm the gates when we don't know what we're dealin' with." Daryl's mouth drew into a thin line under his contorting facial hair. His eyes were apprehensive but he knew Rick was right and nodded,

"Yeah, you're right." Daryl heard a jingle and looked up, seeing a figure in the shadows of the doorway on the other side of the cell block. He noticed that Rick had turned his head and narrowed his eyes. He ripped his gun out of the holster and ran towards the barred door, Daryl behind him with his crossbow pointed upwards. The door had swung open and Rick pointed his gun upwards towards the man's head,

"Who the hell are you!?" He shouted and the strange man lifted his hands into the air defensively. Daryl narrowed his eyes and recognized the black haired man,

"Ain't a good time for you bei'n here, mutt." He growled and the man's eyes found Daryl's. Rick shoved his gun towards the man,

"Give me a good reason not to gun you down where you stand."

"I'm a friend; I need to talk to Harli." Rick looked back at the man questioningly and Daryl's hand began to shake lightly on the grip of his crossbow. Daryl stared into the light brown eyes of none other than Gregory Watson,

"Well she ain't here!" The man's eyebrows furrowed with confusion as he stared at Daryl,

"Where is she?"

"She was kidnapped." He stared down the barrel of Rick's gun,

"By who?"

"None of your damn business!" Daryl's voice grew angry and his trigger finger shook with anticipation as he glared daggers at the detective. Greg looked back at Daryl and narrowed his eyes,

"Whoever took her took two more of ours who were with her. We're leaving to go find them." Rick said and Greg looked back to him, as well as Daryl. He narrowed his eyes at Rick, wondering why he was telling this strange man this information. Rick took a deep breath and proceeded,

"I've had enough of strangers walking in on my group for now. So pass me over those keys in your hand and be on your way, I don't have time for this." Rick took a couple steps forward towards him and Greg pulled his hand back, the keys jingling as he moved back,

"Give me them." Rick warned and Daryl stepped forward,

"Why don't we just kill 'em…? Be a lot easier."

"Easy, Daryl." Rick mumbled and pressed his gun against Greg's chest,

"Give me the keys, now." Greg lowered his hands and clipped the ring of keys back onto his belt,

"I'm not goin' to give them to you because I'm goin' with you guys."

"Excuse me?" Rick raised an eyebrow questioningly at the stranger,

"You said you're going after them, right? You're gonna need all the muscle you can get." Daryl continued to glare at the man, glancing over at Rick from the corner of his eyes and seeing reluctance all over his face.

"Harli tells me you're a sheriff. I'm a cop, too, I worked here when they were up and runnin'. Look, I know my way around a gun… if Harli's in danger I want to help."Daryl scoffed and Greg looked at him with an unknown intent behind his eyes, Daryl not being able to decipher it. Rick stared at the detective in a moment of silence, his trigger hand shaking with anticipation. Rick looked over at Daryl, who returned a glance back at the leader from the corner of his eyes,

"He's right."

"You kiddin' me?" Daryl lowered his crossbow out of sheer shock and narrowed his eyes at Rick. He looked back at Daryl, his face holding apprehension,

"I'm not too crazy about the idea either, but if that woman in there says this Woodbury place is teeming with military grade equipment then we're gonna need all the help we can get."

"Then we'll be worryin' more about these two strangers with us than the actual place we're goin' to invade." Daryl argued, completely not happy about the idea. He felt the burning eyes of Greg on him, but paid no attention as he was trying to get through to Rick.

"I won't let my attention be compromised by these two. We're down by three good people who risked their lives for us over and over again; I'll do whatever the hell it takes to get them back!" Rick looked back at Greg, who stood silently while listening to the two in front of him,

"You try anything to undermine me and my people; I will cut you down without a second thought." Greg nodded and Rick turned around swiftly on the heel of his boot, walking back to the room where Hershel was tending to the strange woman. Daryl looked back at Greg,

"Not before I get the chance to do it." He mumbled irately towards the black haired man before turning around and following after Rick.

**~*:*~**

Night soon descended upon the weary survivors as they crept up to the walls of Woodbury from behind some large train cars. They had escaped the desperate grasp of a large horde of Walker's once again, using an old hermit's body as bait to escape from his old cabin. Daryl kept a close eye on Greg, and Rick on Michonne, keeping themselves together to avoid any unwanted mishaps.

Michonne led them to a bank of cars by the wall and the five quickly ducked down, avoiding a large spotlight that passed over them. Daryl's keen eye scanned the tall wall as wannabe mercenary men marched back and forth on their posts, automatic rifles and large compound bows in their hands. He narrowed his eyes and ducked down a bit as the spotlight passed over them again, his body riddling with anticipation.

"Hey, hey!" They heard Oscar whisper loudly, Daryl and Rick looking over their shoulders to see Michonne sneaking away quickly. Rick gritted his teeth and crouched closely with Daryl and Greg, Oscar as well,

"Alright, we need to downsize!" The four men pulled the rifles and shotguns off their backs, placing them on the ground and observing their equipment. Daryl glanced at Greg as she loaded his rifle, still not thinking Rick should have given him one. Daryl's head watchfully turned over his shoulder,

"Ain't no way we'll be checkin' all those buildings… not with those armed guards there." Daryl snapped a clip into his AK-47, cocking the gun and placing the strap over his shoulder. A rustle from the bushes came from behind and the four men yanked their weapons around and pointed at Michonne, who raised her hand and waved it to follow her.

Daryl gave Rick a questioning glance and Rick nodded softly at him, pursuing after Michonne as she led them to a weak spot in the wall behind a building. The four marched quickly, but stepped quietly as she pulled open a large piece of roofing metal and swiftly crawled through.

Rick grabbed on and held it open for his men, Greg, then Oscar, and then Daryl climbing through before Rick, who secured it tightly behind him. Daryl lifted his crossbow and held up the back while keeping an eye on the two strangers and Woodbury men at the same time. Michonne led them to the back of another building, pulling open the door quietly and stepping in.

"This is where I came when I was brought here. They might be in here, too." She whispered, the four men following her closely and ducking under pinned up boards in the next room, their weapons finally drawn and pointed around the storage room. Rick lowered his gun,

"This is where you were held?"

"I was questioned."

"Any idea where else they could be?" Daryl pushed past Greg towards the front door, barely pulling the curtain away to avoid being seen. He looked out at the streets of Woodbury, seeing stray civilians walking about with smiles on their face. Scoffing, he turned around towards Michonne, "Thought you said there was a curfew?"

"The street is packed during the day, those are stragglers."

"If anyone comes in here we're sittin' ducks we gotta move." Rick turned away from the window and walked towards Michonne, Oscar, and Greg,

"We'll be searching all night at this rate." Greg mumbled and Daryl glared at him. Michonne looked over to Rick,

"They could be in his apartment."

"Yeah? What if they ain't?" Daryl nodded while walking towards her accusingly and Michonne glared back at him with narrowed eyes,

"Then we'll look somewhere else."

"You said you could help us." Rick walked past her and she noticed she was surrounded by the four, her hand balling in a fist,

"I'm doin' the best I can!"

"Then where the hell are they?" Oscar asked and she turned away from Rick, Rick hissing through his lips and nodding for the four men to follow him. They walked a few feet from her and huddled in a circle,

"If this goes south, we're cuttin' her loose."

"You think she's leadin' us into a trap?" Oscar asked and Greg looked at him,

"I wouldn't be surprised." Daryl looked at Rick, his raspy voice deeper when he spoke quietly,

"Right now it's a blind leadin' a blind. We'll split up."

"That'll make us weaker. What if one of us gets found out? It could send up a red flag through the entire compound." Greg challenged and Daryl gritted his teeth while staring at the detective. Rick opened his mouth to speak but the five prison members froze when they heard a knock at the door and keys jingling outside.

"Hide! Quick!" Rick hissed and the five ran to the back room, hiding behind shelves of food and other supplies. Daryl lifted his crossbow as he heard the door open and a pair of weak feet stepping in,

"I know you're in here! I saw you movin' from outside!" An old southern accent bellowed through their silence and Daryl waited quietly, as well as everyone else, not noticing that he was holding his breath.

"Alright now, you're not supposed to be in here and you know it!" Daryl's muscles tightened as he heard the man's boot steps getting closer and closer,

"Who's in here!?" Daryl saw the man enter the room and Rick jumped out from behind the doorway, slamming the old man into the wall and plunging his pistol against his head. His face twisted into shock and fear and he put his hands up in the air, staring blindly at Rick,

"Shut up, get on your knees!" Rick yanked the man to the ground and Daryl stood behind him, his crossbow sights fixated closely on the man's head.

"Hands behind your back!" Rick ordered and the man willingly did so as he stared down the barrel of Rick's Python. "Zip tie him!" Greg handed Daryl a pair of large zip ties and Daryl roughly pulled the man's hands behind his back and began to tie him down,

"Where are our people!?"

"I-I don't know!" The man denied and Rick grabbed his collar, his eyes growing dangerous,

"You're holding some of our people, where the hell are they!?" Rick pressed the barrel of his gun against the fearful man's head, yet he still denied Rick's questions,

"I don't know…"

"Open your mouth." Rick grabbed a rag below his feet and stuffed it in the man's mouth. He mumbled in resistance and Rick stood up, looking Daryl in his blue eyes and nodding. Daryl tightly gripped his crossbow and took a deep breath, waiting for something he could take his frustrations out on. He threw the butt of his crossbow against the old man's head as hard as he could, knocking the man unconscious and watching as he fell to the floor.

Daryl latched onto his ankle and Rick grabbed the other, the two men dragging him into another back room. The two quickly exited the room and Rick looked to Michonne, "Where do we go from here?"

Michonne reached for her katana as he approached her violently, but stopped when she saw Daryl's crossbow and Greg's rifle staring her in the face. She let out a breath and looked to Rick, "We can try his apartment… there's a good chance they'll be there." The two stared at each other for a few moments before Rick swallowed a lump of air,

"You better be right…" Rick turned around swiftly and walked out the door they came, Daryl giving one last look at Michonne before pursuing after him. He heard the hasty footsteps of Greg and Oscar behind him, stopping while seeing Rick staring down an alleyway.

"I don't know about this. His apartment? Why would they keep three prisoners in his apartment?" Rick asked while looking back at Daryl,

"Who knows? But we're runnin' outta options at this point… maybe we should catch one of the armed men and interrogate them?"

"We can't risk it and it could take too long. Most of these people probably don't even know about Glenn and the girls being here." Rick looked back down the alleyway and Daryl chewed on his lip nervously, wanting to just find them already. Rick turned around and faced the four that stared at him for answers,

"We might just have to split up; this place is too big to be searchin' around in one big group. This is what we'll-" The five ducked as they heard muffled gunshots ringing through the air. They heard screams and quickly huddle together as they looked around them for any sign of movement near themselves.

"What the hell was that!?" Greg asked while raising his rifle and scanning the surrounding areas through his sights. Rick looked to him briefly,

"I don't know… but I doubt that it was anything friendly."

"You think it was any of us?" Daryl asked and Rick looked to him, shaking his head,

"We'll know that when we go look and find out."

A few more gunshots echoed and they quickly moved behind the buildings towards the sound, trying to pinpoint its location. The group moved quickly and swiftly, their guns drawn in seriousness as they passed building after building.

Coming to the end of the sea of houses, they filed up against the cold siding and Rick looked over the corner. He watched two men run through a doorway with their rifles drawn and he looked back at Daryl, "The gunshots, they came from in there."

Daryl nodded and shouldered his crossbow, pulling off his heavy artillery and clutching the AK-47 against his shoulder. Rick watched the others pull up their rifles and turned back around, pulling his AR off his shoulder and staring through the sights. They descended down a flight of stairs and walked in a lined formation, Rick leading them further in the tunneling of makeshift walls.

Rick spotted a door and looked back at Daryl, Daryl nodded at him to lead and looked down the sights of his rifle. He moved after Rick, the others following quietly as he placed his hand on the doorknob and twisted it.

Slamming open the door, Rick and Daryl shuffled in the almost-empty room with their guns drawn, looking about but seeing no one. There were broken shambles of a chair scattered on the floor and a table tipped over. Daryl noticed blood on the ground, seeing that it was a bit fresh and whistled quietly at Rick. Rick knelt down next to Daryl, who ran his finger through the sticky liquid,

"How fresh?"

"Pretty damn fresh… there's not much to be dangerous but it's pretty clear someone got wounded." Daryl looked over at Rick and rid his fingers of the blood while rubbing it on his pant leg.

"Guys, voices!" Greg whispered and Rick and Daryl jumped to their feet, seeing Oscar and Greg standing defensively by the door. Rick moved through the doorway and pointed his rifle, Daryl not far behind him as they moved around a couple more corners. The voices became louder as they neared the viper pit, Rick sucking against the wall when he saw two men walking into a room.

They all crouched in a corner and heard many feet shuffling across the floor. Daryl looked up through small, dirty window to see several men yanking about two hooded victims. He quickly darted back down to his knees, rifling through the back that Oscar carried and pulling out two flash bangs. Handing one to Rick, the two men shouldered their guns and got to their feet, Greg, Oscar, and Michonne taking cover around the corner. Rick and Daryl counted silently to three and pulled the ring off the canisters, tossing them around the corner and hiding behind the wall.

Almost as loud as a grenade, the flash bangs exploded and sent a blinding flash of light radiating throughout the corridor. Daryl's ears rang as he jumped around the corner, his rifle tightly tucked against his shoulder, hearing the shouts and groans from the Woodbury men. Smoke sifted through the air and Daryl's vision became a bit strained, but out of the haze, he saw one of the hooded figures.

His eyes recognized Maggie as she yanked off the white hood, Daryl latching onto her arm and pulling her to safety. He saw Rick pulling Glenn along and once meeting up with the group guarding the corner, they filtered through the hallways back where they came. Daryl heard gunshots randomly firing through the air and turned around occasionally, watching the groups back as they neared the exit to the torture chambers.

Daryl's lungs filled with fresh air as they burst through the door, his eyes liberating in the darkness of night and seeing Glenn and Maggie safe in their confines. His heart beat toughly against his chest as he realized that they had not found Harli and she was not safe with him. He anxiously hoped that the blood he found on the floor in the empty room was not hers, but yet, he couldn't be certain. All he had to do was get Glenn and Maggie to safety and see if they had any information on Harli's whereabouts.

They jogged quickly through the dimly lit streets, Daryl taking up the front while Rick drug a very bloodied and battered Glenn along with them. Daryl spotted a light blue building with double doors and looked back at Rick, "In here!" He called and shoved open the door, raising his rifle and infiltrating the establishment. Deeming it safe, he turned around and focused his attention on the closed front doors.

"There ain't no way back out here." Daryl's breathing was labored as he looked around the room for some type of way out,

"Rick, how'd you find us!?" Maggie asked while kneeling down in front of Glenn, who looked rather worse for the ware.

"How bad you hurt?" Rick asked, avoiding Maggie's question and focusing on Glenn's wellbeing. Maggie looked about the room,

"Where's that woman!?"

"She was right behind us…" Rick ran to a window and pulled the blanket sham from the glass, watching for anyone coming to the door.

"Maybe she was spotted?" Oscar vouched and Daryl looked over to Rick,

"Want me to go look for her?"

"No, we gotta get him outta here. She's on her own!"

"Here kid." Greg tossed a blanket to Maggie for Glenn and she stared at him in recognition. She wrapped it around Glenn's shoulders and his fingers clasped onto it desperately,

"Daryl… this was Merle!" Daryl's heart jumped and he looked back at Glenn, walking up to him anxiously, "It was… he did this…"

"You saw him?" Daryl questioned and Glenn nodded, his face twisting in pain under the swelling,

"Face to face… he threw a Walker at me. He was going to execute us." It was like a bad dream to Daryl and his face softened, a million thoughts flying through his head.

"My brother's this _Governor_?" His voice was muddle and confused. Maggie looked up to Daryl,

"No, somebody else. You're brothers his lieutenant or something."

"Does he still know I'm still with ya?" Daryl asked and both Maggie and Glenn nodded,

"He does now… Rick I'm sorry, we told them where the prison was, we couldn't hold out."

"Don't… no need to apologize." Rick assured and ran back towards the window,

"They're gonna find us!" Maggie said and Rick looked back at her,

"We have to get back, can you walk!? We gotta car a few miles out." He asked towards Glenn, seeing him nod,

"I'm good…" Daryl watched as Rick lifted Glenn to his feet, walking up to him as all he could think about was Merle. He needed to see him, he needed to talk to him and try to make sense of the situation.

"If Merle's alive I gotta go see him!"

"Not now! We're in hostile territory." Rick argued and Daryl's face grew dreaded, his eyes filled with worry and shock,

"H-he's my brother, he's not gonna try-!"

"Look what he did! We gotta get out of here now!" Rick cut him off, but Rick's reasoning couldn't filter through Daryl's crowded ears. He shook his head,

"He's my brother, maybe I could work somethin' out!"

"No, no, no! you're not thinkin' straight… no matter what we say they're hurt, Glenn can barely walk. How are we gonna make it out? If we get overrun by Walkers or this Governor catches up with us I need you! Are you with me?" Finally, Rick had gotten through to Daryl and he took a moment to clear his head. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes briefly, nodding his head,

"Yeah."

"Alright you two, get ready." Rick motioned towards Glenn and Maggie,

"We can't leave without Harli." Daryl looked to Greg as he walked towards Rick, suddenly remembering her over Merle. Rick panted and stared at Greg as well,

"He's right Rick, we can't just leave her." Maggie said and Daryl walked up to her,

"Do you know where she is? I'll go get her."

"I'm going, too." Greg vouched towards Daryl, but he ignored him and stared intently at the two younger adults. Glenn coughed and pulled the blanket tighter over his shoulders,

"She escaped." He said and Daryl narrowed his eyes,

"How?"

"Merle came in to get us, saying she was smart and had cut the duct tape around her wrists. She attacked him, took his gun, and ran off. He had a pretty nasty bruise on his head when I saw him so I knew he wasn't lying. But we have no idea where she could be."

"She might have already gotten out." Rick looked to Daryl and the two looked back at Glenn,

"She might've of, but I don't think she's alright."

"What makes you say that?" Greg asked and Glenn swallowed down a mouthful of blood.

"I heard her screams." Daryl's eyebrows narrowed,

"Merle didn't tell you what happened?"

"The Governor came to talk to me. He said he had talked to her first and I asked about her, but the only thing he said was that she was doing fine. He was lying; I saw blood on his pants." Maggie stared at Daryl worryingly. He looked at Rick,

"I'm gonna go find her."

"We don't know where she is, she could be anywhere by now." Rick shook his head and Daryl's eyes swirled with turmoil. Rick sighed in disappointment, not wanting to give up on his friend either, "All we can do now is hope that she got out. She's a tough girl and doesn't get taken down easily."

"But we don't know what her condition it." Greg looked at Rick,

"We need to focus on these two. It's takin' everything I got to not go after her either but we gotta do what we gotta do!" Rick established his dominant argument, and as much as Daryl wanted to go after Harli, these people needed him here and now. He looked back to Rick and lifted his rifle,

"Let's get movin'."

"Everyone, get your gear ready." Daryl ran towards the supply bag and yanked out a few canisters of tear gas, tossing some to Rick and Greg. They crowded against the door and Rick grabbed onto the handle, looking at everyone,

"Alright, we're headin' for the front gate! Everyone stay tight… one, two, three!" Rick tore open the door and he, Daryl, and Greg threw the tear gas out onto the different parts of the streets. The smoke erupted from the canisters and filled the air quickly, the prison members waiting patiently as their cover enveloped through the air.

"Go!" Rick jumped out of the doorway with his gun raised, charging out into the streets with his group tightly formatted behind him.

"There they are!" They heard a shout come from the top of the wall and Rick yanked the trigger on his gun, flooding the air with gunfire. Daryl's ears rung as he ran past Rick, guiding the group towards the wall and his anticipating trigger finger finally got to release the clip of bullets waiting to kill.

"Get down! Take cover!" He heard Rick shout to the others and Oscar and Greg guided Maggie and Glenn towards a doorway against a building. Rick and Daryl returned cover fire and followed them, slamming up against the wall. Daryl reached into the gun bag and pulled out another rifle, handing it to the wounded Glenn. He grabbed a pistol and gave it to Maggie,

"You guys go ahead; Imma lay down some cover fire!"

"No! We have to stay together!" Maggie didn't like the idea of them splitting up, or even Daryl going out there by himself to protect them while they escaped.

"It's too hairy… I'll be right behind ya!" Daryl yanked the empty clip out of his gun and reached into his pocket, pulling out another. He heard loud gunshots coming from the pistol he gave to Maggie, glancing up to see her returning fire from around the brick corner. Daryl took a deep breath and pulled the ring off another tear gas canister, jumping to his feet,

"Ready!?" He tossed it next to the wall and grabbed the grip of his rifle, running out into the smoke and staring down the sights. He took cover behind a bench and returned cover fire, hearing Rick's rifle exploding only feet away from him. The recoil of his assault rifle burst through Daryl's tense muscles, the empty shells of his bullets ejecting violently. Some stung and burnt his skin as they expelled from the barrel, but he did the best to ignore it.

All he could see through the smoke was the blinding light of the enemy's guns firing at him. He heard a scream and Maggie shout at Rick, looking over his shoulder and seeing that Oscar had been taken down by a shotgun blast to the abdomen. Greg grabbed at Maggie and pulled her away, Maggie closing her eyes and shooting Oscar in the head to make sure he didn't come back as a Walker.

Daryl gritted his teeth and shoved a full clip back into his gun, looking over to finally see Rick running towards the wall. Daryl pressed the butt of his gun back up against his shoulder, shooting back at the Woodbury men while covering Rick.

"Daryl!" He heard Rick's desperate cries come from behind him, but he paid no attention as his concentration was loyally fixated on the men shooting at him.

"Go!" He shouted back and his finger pulled back the trigger of his gun as far as he could. All of a sudden, his gun jammed and he cursed mentally to himself, yanking out the clip and noticed that it was empty.

"Shit…" He shouldered the rifle and pulled out his pistol, cocking it and standing to his feet. He looked over his shoulder, seeing that Rick and the others had made it safely over the front gates. He sighed in relief and began backing up towards the wall, his pistol drawn and pointed.

"Don't move!" Daryl froze and looked over to see a group of men approaching him with rifles staring him in the face,

"Put the gun down!" Another ordered and Daryl hesitated, putting his hands over his head when he heard one of their rifles go off.

They shot as his feet and he knew that he couldn't take them on all at once or even run from them. As they grew closer, Daryl dropped his pistol and put his hands up, the men rushing towards him and grabbing his arm. One kicked him in the back of the knee and he dropped to the ground, the others bounding his wrists behind his back. He began to try and wriggle from their grasp, making it harder for them to secure him tightly. He smiled to himself mentally; he wasn't going down without a fight. He thrashed around as much as he could, and with the trouble he was giving the Woodburians, one of the men couldn't take it anymore. With one swift fist to his jaw, Daryl's face landed on the concrete of the street and his vision blurred. He opened his mouth to stretch his jaw as he was yanked to his feet and led through the streets.

**~*:*~**

"Come on! Is that all you got!?" Daryl shouted and one of the mercenary men slammed his fist into Daryl's face, knocking him back to the floor. Daryl growled and gritted his teeth, feeling another man pull him back to his knees by the shirt. Daryl tore away from his grasp and felt a heavy boot ram into his side, his lungs skipping a beat and he doubled over, trying hard to breath.

He leaned up and stared at the group of men surrounding him, glaring at the one that had kicked him in the ribs. Not liking the smug smile that had crossed the man's face, even with his wrists tied behind his back, he managed to quickly jump to his feet and ram his head into the man's stomach, knocking him to the ground.

Daryl turned around as he heard the rest of the shocked men getting after him, feeling a fist cutting him in the gut and a foot slamming into his back That knocked him to the ground. He huffed from the pain brewing under his skin and felt two pairs of hands latching onto his arms and bringing him back to his knees. His teeth clenched together tightly under his lips, the muscles in his cheeks throbbing violently. His face didn't hurt too much; he always had gotten in bar fights with Merle when they went out drinking.

Daryl heard the creaking of a door and a set of boots thumping towards him on the wood floor. He looked up and wriggled out of the Woodburians grasps, staring at the tall man who had just entered. He had salt and peppered hair with a southern licked outfit on while a gun holster fastened itself tightly against his waist. He wore a black trench coat that ended at his knees and Daryl's eyes slowly met with his only one. Daryl's eyes narrowed as he stared at the gauze that covered the other man's eye, knowing it had to have been a fresh wound.

"You must be Daryl. Merle's told me so much about you." Daryl's face hardened at the sound of his brother's name as the man's deep, southern voice slithered in his ear.

"And you must be The Governor." The man nodded his head and a small, charming smile crossed his face,

"You're correct."

"What? Couldn't bring Merle round with ya? He's you're lieutenant, right?"" Daryl bit and The Governor stared down at him with hate in his eyes,

"Oh don't worry, you'll see your brother soon enough. I take it the rest of your group got out alive? You must be having mixed feelings about them leaving you behind."

"I could give a rat's ass less."

"Sacrificing yourself? That's bold; your group's loyalty to each other is astounding." He mused while staring at the turmoil in Daryl's face as he avoided eye contact with him, "I found that out the hard way when I interrogated your people. They are tough, especially the young Asian boy and the girl with the bow." Daryl's eyes instantly went to The Governor's and a cold smile crossed the Woodbury leaders face,

"Caught your attention?" The Governor laughed and Daryl chewed on the inside of his cheek nervously, his jaw tightening under his tan kissed skin. He wanted so badly to stab him in the neck and watch him bleed. The Governor squatted down, face to face with Daryl,

"I know she got away and she won't get far… I've got a scouting group looking for her as we speak and when they bring her to me, I'm going to make you watch as I put a bullet in her pretty little head."

"The hell you will!" Daryl lurched at him but a few firm sets on hands held him back from head-butting The Governor. Daryl thrashed about once again like a feral dog and The Governor latched onto his throat, steadying the crossbow-wielding survivor.

"Interrogating her was hard… but I found out she was a screamer."

Daryl gave into his antagonizing words and as he thrashed more violently, The Governor's fingers tightened around Daryl's thick throat. Daryl didn't care if he couldn't breathe, he didn't care that he was captured and beaten, and he didn't care that The Governor might end his life in a matter of minutes. All he wanted to know was that Harli was long gone and out of this man's reach. He wanted to make this man suffer.

The Governor shoved Daryl back and stood to his feet, looking to his men that held him down, "Put the hood on him and bring him to me in five minutes… we're going to end the terrorism tonight."


	31. Chapter 31

Harli burst through a weak spot in the barrier around Woodbury, stumbling to the ground as her foot got caught in the wedge. Glancing over her shoulder, she yanked her boot from the sliver of metal and jumped back to her feet, staggering away from the false heaven.

Finally finding a temporary hiding place, Harli leaned on a destroyed car, her hand gripping her lower abdomen from the blistering pain that not only harbored itself there, but every other inch of her body. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and felt the cool air of early morning rubbing her skin to rid of the uncomforting warmth boiling in her blood. All her ears could pick up was a loud, thunderous uproar coming from the area in which she just escaped. Shouts erupted in the air, making her curious as to what exactly was going on at that moment and what The Governor was planning with his people.

She choked down air through her sore throat and stood to her feet, groaning as the knife wound in her leg violently protested against her movements. Hissing under her breath, she finally gained her balance, staring at the wall of metal shards, wood, and tires for, what she hoped, would be the last time.

Harli took one limping step after another, descending into the darkness and following the roadway she came in from. Gasping, she stopped dead in her tracks, seeing hobbling figures making their way towards her. Quickly diving behind a tree, she heard grunts, groans, and hissing coming from fast approaching Walkers. Harli did her best to steady her breathing as they got closer, but she knew that she would be soon found out with all the blood on her face, stomach, and legs.

Clenching her eyes shut, her mind twisted and turned as she tried to figure out what the next point in her plan was. She somewhat knew her way back to the prison and only had to have been about ten miles away; but she couldn't be too sure. Harli pulled the clip out of Merle's stolen pistol, only seeing three bullets left with one in the chamber. All she had was her knife, this pistol, and her bow without arrows.

A cold hand latched onto her hot skin and she yelped, jumping out of the grasp of a gargling Walker. The moment was final when they all took notice to her presence and immediately closed in on her wonderful, bloody scent. Harli rammed her knife into a Walker's head and ran for it, her boots thumping against the concrete and her head flicking back and forth from one Walker to another. She darted around them as if it she were in an intense game of dodge ball.

Many crowded in the streets towards the sound of Woodbury's audience and the dead gunfire most likely was the culprit in attracting them all. Seeing the forestry as a potential safe haven, she darted into the shrubbery and disappeared amongst the trees, hoping to lose the group of Walkers that were lustfully pursuing after her.

With a knife in one hand and the barely loaded pistol in the other, Harli pumped her arms faster, trying to get her burning legs to comprehend the danger lurking in the shadows. Her bow thumped gruelingly into her back as she stumbled along, her boots shuffling loudly through the dead leaves littering the misty ground. She grunted with discontent at the pain shooting from her legs into her core, threatening to put her on the ground and leave, whatever's left of her in the morning, to the crows.

**.::.**

Daryl stared around at all the furious Woodburians as they shouted at him and Merle, demanding they both be killed for their _"Crimes"_. Daryl's blue eyes flickered into Merle's, trying to find some sort of way out through his big brother. Merle's jaw tightened at the sight of Daryl and he offered no refuge for his frightened little brother. The Governor circled them like the leader of a wolf pack, his eyes deadly and his smile wicked upon hearing his people demanding they be put to death.

Daryl swallowed insecurity down his throat, his face pulsating from being beaten by the many henchman of The Governor. He didn't know what to do. He was going to die here, with his brother, and that would be the end of it. No more being Rick's right hand man, no more eating squirrels, no more joyous hunts with his trustworthy crossbow, no more taking freedom rides on the motorcycle, no more cooing over Lil' Asskicker, and no more of Harli's liberating face.

Harli seemed to dwell on his mind and all the shouting voices of the angry audience soon to fade. He looked around inconspicuously, as if trying to find her in the crowd or peeking around the corner of a building. But he couldn't see her glistening green eyes boring through his core, which he hoped could be the last thing he witnessed before death. He prayed she made it over the wall or that Rick had found her somewhere, keeping her safe from any more harm. Rick was the only one Daryl trusted with her life.

"It's not up to me anymore… the people have spoken!" Daryl's attention flooded back to The Governor, his eyes catching Andrea as she struggled to get from a henchman's grasp. Daryl yanked at the duct tape around his wrists in attempts to pry it off, but his luck all but faded away.

"I asked you where your loyalty lied… and you said here!" Daryl felt a pair of hands grab his and swiftly snap the duct tape around his wrists. Daryl caught a glance at the tall, African American man, seeing his precious crossbow gripped tightly in his grimy fingers. Daryl shifted his shoulder and his leather vest desperately clung onto his shoulder as he glared back at The Governor.

"Well, prove it… prove it to us all! Brother against brother… winner goes free. Fight to the death!" The Governor's shouts echoed through the small pit and hoots, hollers, and laughs erupted from the crowd as if Daryl and Merle were gladiators. They were no longer innocent citizens, only blood thirsty spectators.

Daryl looked over to Merle, wondering which one of them would make the first move. Daryl wasn't going to lay a finger on his brother in this hellhole just for the entertainment of these sick people. But Daryl couldn't read the look in Merle's eyes, making him wary of what was going to happen next. Fear riddled Daryl's head; he didn't know what to expect as people began to shout Merle's name.

Merle faced them and threw his hand up in the air, walking around in front of Daryl.

"Ya'll know me! I gotta do whatever I gotta do… to prove-!" Daryl's breath locked in his throat as Merle slammed his fist in his stomach, knocking him to the ground from sheer strength. Daryl gasped for air and rolled around on the ground, gripping his stomach and clenching his teeth. Merle stared down at his baby brother, slamming his foot into Daryl's ribs as he attempted to get up, "That my loyalty is to this town!"

Daryl rolled to the edge of the crowd and opened his eyes as they blurred for a few seconds. He felt Merle grab his vest and hoist him up before slamming his fist back into Daryl's cheek, his eyes blacking out for only a second. Back and forth, Merle's boot crashed against Daryl's torso, making his lungs skip a beat every time he felt the startling pain. Daryl panted desperately for air and Merle threw him on his back, Daryl's eyes meeting briefly with Merle's face. Taking that chance, Daryl's instinct kicked in and his fist rammed up into Merle's cheek, knocking the older brother back.

Daryl jumped to his feet and lunged at Merle, but Merle jumped to the side and knocked Daryl back to the dirt below him. Merle hovered over him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, his face hectic, but his eyes telling a different story. Daryl latched onto Merle's neck and pushed his brother away from him,

"You really think this asshole's gonna let you go!?" Daryl choked out and Merle struggled to breathe through Daryl's tight fingers latched around his skinny throat,

"Just follow my lead little brother! We're gettin' outta this… right now!" Merle hoisted Daryl up with nothing but brute strength and Daryl finally found himself to his feet. He stood back to back with Merle, his arms raised against the chomping jaws of Walkers surrounding them. Slowly, the men controlling the Walkers began to close in on them and Daryl watched the three in front of him closely, dodging their lustful fingers and ignoring their gargling snarls.

Daryl pulled his fist back, and like a coiled rattlesnake, he released it into the face of a nearing Walker, breaking its jaw on impact. He grabbed the Walker's clothing and shoved it into the crowd of people, their screams and gasps making him smirk briefly with delight.

'_Ain't gonna fuck with me, assholes!' _Daryl lunged out towards another Walker and broke yet another jaw, recoiling back up against Merle. He stayed light on his feet, keeping an eye on the greedy Walker's that were attempting to attack him. Daryl's eyes locked onto another Walker, his legs ready to jump forward to attack once the man controlling him stepped forward.

With pure instinct, Daryl threw his hands over his head and fell to his knees upon hearing an earsplitting gunshot. He looked up to see a bullet hole in the Walker's head he was about ready to attack. More blistering gunshots exploded from a rifle and he looked around, trying to catch a face of a familiar prison member. Smoke suddenly filled the pit around the screaming crowd as they attempted to disperse amongst themselves and avoid the gunfire.

Daryl and Merle cowered around one another, watching as chaos emitted around them. The lights exploded and sparked like fireworks as they shut off and darkened the fighting pit. Woodburian henchmen threw up their guns in attempts to find the terrorists, but the darkness and flooding crowd prevented them from doing so.

Daryl and Merle jumped up once their bodies were encased in the smoke of the bombs, finding their way around the hysterical people. A Walker jumped out at Merle and he shoved it to the ground, smashing in its face with his metal stub. Daryl managed to find an opening in the smoke and looked over his shoulder, seeing Merle's head flicking back and forth.

"Merle, come on!" Daryl shouted and Merle quickly pursued after his little brother, trusting him to lead them out of the frenzy.

Daryl weaved back and forth, his eyes narrowing when he saw the large black man shooting a bolt through the head of a Walker from his crossbow. Running towards him, Daryl swiftly caught his crossbow and twirled it straight out of the shocked man's hands. Merle swung his hard stump against the back of the man's head, knocking him out cold as he ran by.

"Merle!" Merle kept his eyes dead set on the angel wings of his little brother's biker vest.

"Daryl!" Rick's voice flooded in Daryl's ears as Rick easily caught up to him as he ran by. Daryl watched as Merle ran past him and rounded the corner of a tall building, taking off down the street towards the opening of another gate. Daryl looked back over his shoulder, hearing the screaming and gunshots becoming more violent in their escape.

"They're all at the arena, this way!" Merle shouted as he motioned for the group to follow. Rick had his rifle raised as he looked about for any danger,

"You're not goin' anywhere with us!"

"You really wanna do this now!?" Merle shouted at Rick before turning around and trying to pry open the gates. Rick looked back at Merle ruefully, but looked back through the sights of his rifle. Daryl noticed Maggie and Greg standing behind him, their rifles ready for battle if the time came to it.

"Any ya'll see Harli?" His question rolled off his tongue worryingly and Rick looked back at him with a slight shake of the head.

"Haven't run across her yet." Daryl grunted with dissatisfaction as he looked over his shoulder, seeing that Merle had pried apart an opening in which they could all escape. Daryl looked back into the hectic streets of Woodbury, half regretting leaving without finding out Harli's situation.

"Come on Rick! We gotta move!" Daryl turned and slipped through the opening like a snake, holding it open as Maggie, Greg, and eventually, Rick, slipped out after him. Daryl heard Merle's grunting and watched as he beat a Walker's head in with his stump.

"A little help would be nice!" Merle shouted and Daryl left the comfort of the makeshift wall while raising the sights of his crossbow, finding a Walker's head and planting a bolt in between its eyes. Daryl flinched slightly at the gunshots behind him,

"We ain't got time for this!" Merle's raspy voice shouted again as he ran off towards the forest, Daryl looking back at Rick as if trying to regain his trust in Merle.

"Let's go!" Daryl shouted and the three prison-goers finally followed after the Dixon brothers with hesitation.

**.::.**

"Glenn! Glenn!" Rick's sharp whisper echoed to the roadway where Michonne and Glenn waited patiently for them to return. Daryl looked up at the horizon through the trees, barely noticing how fast the early morning had approached on them. All his mind could circle around was the chaotic conflicts that unfolded hours before and where the hell Harli was. He was half tempted to turn around and scout the forest, even going as far as breaking down Woodbury's doors, crossbow a-blazin'.

He glared through Greg's back as the unwanted man walked next to Rick.

Daryl saw Glenn jogging towards them, Rick moving forward quickly and putting up his hands. Daryl knew what awaited them as soon as Glenn's eyes laid on Merle. Daryl tried to keep himself in front of Merle to soften the situation, if that was even possible.

"Now we gotta problem here so just back up!"

"What the hell is he doing here!?" Glenn immediately found Merle and raised his pistol, pointing it at the older Dixon brother. Michonne tore her katana from the sheath and went on the attack, Rick jumping forward and stopping her. Greg put a hand on Glenn's chest to calm him and Daryl stood defensively in front of Merle, his bruised face less than happy about the confrontation.

"Put it down! Put it down!"

"He tried to kill me!" Michonne shouted back at Daryl and a mass of their shouting became incomprehensible as they meshed together. Rick shoved his gun to Michonne's head and Daryl kept Glenn at bay, putting his hands up,

"Look at what he did! If it wasn't for him, Maggie could have been-!"

"Calm down! He helped us get outta there!" Daryl protested and Rick looked over at him angrily, his pistol not moving from its position.

"Right after he beat the shit out of him!"

"Hey! We both took our licks, man!" Merle smiled and put his hand up, staring past the pistol in Glenn's hand and into his eyes. Daryl looked back at Merle; half thinking of letting Glenn have at his brother.

"Jackass…"

"Hey, shut up!" Merle argued back at Daryl and Rick whipped around,

"Enough!" Michonne then lurched after Merle and Rick quickly stepped in front of her. With Merle backed against a tree, he raised his hands in to air to signal he wasn't dangerous.

"Woah, you gonna cuff me!?"

"Man, shut up!" Daryl turned back around to face Glenn, swiping his hand at him irately, getting real tired of the situation already, "Get that gun outta my face!"

He heard Merle snickering behind him at the tone Daryl used towards Glenn. Daryl turned back around to face him, "Look like you've gone native, brother!"

"No more than you hangin' out with that psycho back there!"

"Yeah man… he's is a charmer, I'll tell ya that! Been puttin' the wood to your girl Andrea big time baby!" Merle stared at Michonne playfully, circling his tongue on his bottom lip and moaning.

"Andrea's in Woodbury?" Glenn asked, his eyes darting back and forth frantically from each other his group members. Daryl nodded at the young Asian man,

"Right next to The Governor." With a shuffle, Daryl jumped in front of Merle instinctively as Michonne lunged at him once again. Rick gritted his teeth and shoved the sword down,

"I told you to drop that!" Rick's eyes glared at Michonne's hectic face, his head tilting slightly, "You know Andrea?" Michonne ignored him and only stared at Merle with nothing but utter blood lust. Rick leaned in front of her face, trying to grab her attention, "Hey, do you know Andrea!?"

"Yeap! She does… her and Blondie spent all winter cuddlin' up in the forest… mmm mm mmm! Yeah, my Nubian queen here had two pet Walkers! No arms, cut off the jaws, kept them in chains… kinda ironic if you think about it-"

"Shut up Merle!" Daryl shouted and faced Merle, who only smiled at his little brothers feeble attempts to shut his mouth. Merle shook his head and rose his hands, "Hey man, we snatched' em up outta the woods… Andrea was close to dyin'."

Daryl looked to Michonne, waiting for another attempted attack on Merle.

"Is that why she's with him?" Maggie asked and Merle smiled, his words slithering softly off his tongue.

"Yeap… snug as two little bugs…" Merle soon looked over to Rick with curiously, "So whatcha gonna do now, Sheriff? Surrounded by a bunch of liars, thugs, and cowards-!"

"Shut up!" Rick barked while staring back at him and Merle chuckled to himself, a sly smile crossing his thin cheeks. He absolutely relished in the fact that he got under Rick's skin.

"Oh man, look at this… pathetic! All these guns and no bullets in me!?"

"Shut up before I make you!" Greg shoved his gun into Merle's face and Daryl rammed his hands against the equally sized man,

"Ya'll better back the hell up before I shove that pistol up your ass!"

"Get 'em little brother! Show 'em whose boss!" Merle laughed and playfully punched the air, glaring at Greg with a halfcocked smile.

"Daryl…" Glenn's voice was low but Daryl had already turned back around, glaring at Merle and stepping forward towards him. His jaw clenched and he gripped the strap of his crossbow tightly, wanting to just shove the ass-end of his bow into Merle's face to get a moment of silence.

"Merle… Shut. Up." Merle bounced off the tree and came inches from Daryl's face, not intimidated in the slightest,

"Why don't you shut up yourself! A bunch of pussies you're-!"

_Thud_

Daryl's eyes narrowed as he watched his brothers limp body fall to the ground, glancing over at Rick with a deep sigh. Rick had already beat Daryl to it. Rick leaned over Merle, "Asshole…"

Glenn, Maggie, Michonne, Greg, and Daryl all followed Rick back to the car sitting on the street. Rick rubbed a hand through his hair and sighed, stopping at the back of the Hyundai. "We need to figure this out."

"So let's talk about it." Glenn vouched and Rick each looked at the members of his prison group. Staring over at Michonne, he pointed at her,

"You stay here." Rick flicked his head for everyone to follow, and follow they did. About fifty feet away from the Hyundai, they all came to a stop and circled around each other, leaving Merle to his unconscious self next to the tree.

"What're we gonna do with him?" Glenn asked while briefly looking at Daryl, then to Rick. Daryl shook his head,

"There ain't no debatin'… I ain't leavin' my brother."

"It's not gonna work…" Rick looked to Daryl and Daryl began to chew on the inside of his lip nervously.

"It's gotta."

"He'll stir things up." Daryl took a few steps towards Rick, trying to make a case for his brother.

"Look, The Governors probably on his way to the prison right now. Merle knows how he thinks and we could use the muscle."

"We're not havin' him at the prison-" Glenn quickly cut off Maggie and she looked to him a bit shocked,

"Do you want him to sleep in the same cell block as Carol, Beth, and even Harli!?"

"He ain't a rapist."

"Yeah, but his buddy is!" Glenn argued and Daryl shook his head,

"Ain't his buddy anymore… not after last night!"

"Look, there isn't a way Merle's gonna live there without puttin' everyone at each other's throats!" Rick looked to Daryl and the crossbow wielder's emotions began to swirl around in his head.

"So you gonna cut Merle loose and bring home the last samurai and Sherlock Holmes here!?" Daryl pointed towards Greg, whole glared back at him intently as if being challenge.

"I got as much a right to be at that prison than both of them. I was there before any of ya'll even showed up."

"Don't mean shit." Daryl growled and Rick put his hand up,

"She's not comin' back… Greg stuck with us through the entire raid the least we can do is take him back and let him get back to wherever he came from." Greg's jaw clenched and he huffed towards Rick, knowing that it was the only deal that would be made with the Sheriff.

"She's not in the shape to be on her own…" Maggie vouched and Glenn nodded, looking at Rick and speaking in a soft tone.

"She did bring you guys to us…"

"And then ditched us."

"At least let my dad stitch her up?" Maggie asked tenderly and Rick shook his head, looking back at Michonne,

"She's too unpredictable."

"That's right… we don't know who she is. But Merle? Merle's blood." Daryl got back to his brothers situation and Glenn looked to him while shaking his head. He was completely against Merle's return to their group.

"No… Merle's your blood. My blood, my family, is standing right here and waiting for us back at the prison!"

"And you're part of that family…" Rick looked at Daryl and watched as Daryl was beginning to be torn in half. Chewing on his lip, he looked back to Rick, "He's not…"

Daryl noticed movement and watched as his older brother stood to his feet, rubbing his face and leaning against the tree. Daryl's shook his head and his voice became raspier with the divided emotions in his core.

"Man, ya'll don't know!" Daryl and Rick's eyes locked and Daryl knew, at that moment, Rick's mind was made up and there was no more words to be said about the matter. He huffed, "Fine… we'll fend for ourselves."

"Wait! That's not what I was saying!"

"No him, no me." Daryl's words hit Glenn hard.

"Daryl, you don't have to do that."

"It's was always Merle and I before all this."

"Don't…" Maggie plead and Glenn stared at Daryl in disbelief at what he was hearing,

"Are you serious? You just gonna leave like that?"

"You did the same thing."

"What do you want us to tell Carol? And most importantly, what the hell are we supposed to tell Harli!?" Daryl recoiled at the sound of Harli's name. He didn't want to admit to them, even himself, that there might not have been anymore hope for her. They had no idea where she was, if she had made it back to the prison, or whether or she was even alive anymore. He desperately wanted to answer his own questions, but he couldn't bring up any answers.

"After everything you two have been through, you're just going to throw that away? She'll eventually show up at the prison, in whatever condition The Governor put her in, and you won't be there for her… she's going to be a wreck!" Glenn always stood up for Harli in any way he could, even if that was against Daryl. He did his best to convince Daryl, so much as to using Harli as a bargaining chip.

Daryl's eyes flickered amongst the trees and concrete below his boots, every fiber of his being beginning to rip apart under his skin. He finally managed to look Glenn in the eyes, giving the plainest answer he could give, "She's the strongest girl I've ever met… she'll get over it."

Glenn crunched his teeth together and only shook his head, letting out a deep, frustrated breath. Daryl looked to Rick, seeing the hesitation and disbelief in his eyes. Rick seemed a bit disappointed in Daryl, knowing that his and Harli's relationship knew a great deal to him.

Daryl glared back at Greg, seeing the jealousy in the man's brown eyes and his hands clenching into fists. Now wasn't the good time to start a fight with Daryl, he wouldn't hesitate to kill the detective.

Daryl brushed past Maggie and trudged back to the Hyundai, "Say goodbye to your Pop for me…"

"Dude, are you serious… Daryl!?" Glenn tried to stop him but Daryl only quickened his pace, making Rick have to jog to catch up with him. Rick hesitated for a moment,

"Hey, hey!" He managed to stop Daryl and both the men's blue eyes met, "There's gotta be another way." The two stared at each other, for what it seemed, were minutes. Daryl sighed and shook his head, continuing towards the vehicle,

"Don't ask me to leave him… I already did that once…" The two marched side by side and passed Michonne, Daryl grabbing the latch of the back of the vehicle, yanking it open.

"Look, we started something last night. You realize that?"

"No him, no me. That's all I can say." Daryl said plainly, his hand grabbing his backpack and opening it to check his supplies. Rick looked from Daryl, to Merle, to Daryl again. He, himself, was becoming torn apart as well. Rick didn't know what to do and he wished someone would come tell him what he should do.

Harli was always good at that.

Harli flashed in Rick's mind and Rick stared at Daryl, a hard lump of air traveling down his throat and pushing past his Adam's apple on the journey down. "I won't know what to do… Daryl." Daryl stopped and looked at him, seeing the turmoil brewing in Rick's eyes. Rick avoided his eye contact, becoming deeply frustrated. "With Harli. I have no idea what I'm in for once she shows up. The Governor… he could have done anything to her."

Daryl became sickened at the many thoughts that suddenly flooded his mind at his words. He stared down at the backpack, closing his eyes briefly. "And I don't know what she's going to do if I tell her you're gone… the kind of mindset it will put her in." Daryl reopened his eyes and looked to Rick, the two's stares becoming unbreakable.

"You'll know what to do… you've always been good at that." Daryl nodded and wrapped the strap of his bag over his shoulder. Rick's eyes fell in defeat as Daryl shut the hatch to the back of the SUV. His mouth drew into a thin line,

"Take care of yourself… take care of Harli…" He nodded while adjusting his backpacks strap, "Lil' Asskicker and Carl… he's one tough kid." Without another word, Daryl walked off towards Merle, glancing back at Rick and the others one last time before stepping next to his brother. Rick watched him walk away broken heartedly, not knowing what to do anymore.

"Daryl!?" Glenn called, but Daryl didn't acknowledge him and only walked past Merle. Merle wrapped his arm around Daryl with a smile as his little brother pulled him along,

"Come on bro…"

"Aha! The Dixon brothers are back again!"

**.::.**

Harli drug her limp leg along the dirt of an overused deer trail, trying to keep a good pace and avoid a gruesome demise by Walkers. She had cut off her pant legs from the thigh and placed the bloody denim against some trees to fool the Walkers pursuing after her. Leaving her scent behind most surely bought her some time before they followed her trail once again.

Her shoulder slammed against a tree and she leaned on it, her energy draining quickly from the massive fatigue eating her alive. She panted, her fingers shaking as they gripped the tree and desperately tried to keep her from falling to the dirt. If she would fall, she most likely wouldn't be able to get up. Her heart punched at her sternum violently and Harli clenched her eyes shut, whimpering from the throbbing pain in her lower body. The knife wound on her leg wouldn't stop bleeding from her constant movement and she wasn't sure whether or not she was bleeding between her legs anymore.

The prison was farther than she expected.

A shiver ran through her chest and down her spine as she heard a loud snarl, her head flicking over to see a more Walkers had caught her scent. She gritted her teeth and shoved off the hard trunk of the tree, stumbling back along the deer trail as fast as she could. But somehow, her legs weren't working as fast as she wanted. She knew stopping and resting was a bad idea.

Adrenaline wouldn't help her now and the pain in her legs began to become almost unbearable. Every step felt like needles were being stabbed into her thighs and knees, making them buckle almost every time her boot connected with the ground. Harli looked over her shoulder to see the Walkers closing in faster, their arms extending as they grunts and snarls became louder. Their teeth chattered with lust and their legs managed to work better than Harli's as they became more ravenous with each step closer to her.

Harli whipped her head back around and almost jumped out of her skin to see two more ahead of her just out of arms reach. Instinctively, her arm brought up Merle's pistol and her finger automatically pulled the trigger. The Walker growled out of its teeth as it fell backwards, slamming against the soft dirt and the other Walker behind it stepped over its fallen comrade. Harli reached up her other hand and jumped forward at the Walker, ramming her long knife in through the top of its head.

She toppled over with the Walker and grunted as she hit the ground, her eyes blurring for a few moments before she realized the actual danger she was in. More Walkers were coming and she needed to get up before she became a much waited meal. Pressing her hands into the dirt, she shoved her torso up with whatever strength she had and drew her legs to her chest, pressing to her wobbly feet like a newborn calf. Looking behind her, the five Walkers were only feet away, making her jump over the dead Walkers at her feet and scramble away the best she could.

Harli huffed and wheezed, each breath of her lungs becoming shallower and shallower. Images around her began to spin and she felt her arms and feet brushing up against trees she didn't even see in her way. She felt a hand yank at her shoulder and she shoved her elbow up, ramming it into the Walkers chest. It stumbled back into its fellow followers and they only ignored him once Harli came into arms reach.

Backtracking as fast as she could, she yanked the heavy bow off her back and gripped a cam tightly. Gritting her teeth, and hating what she was going to do with her much-loved weapon, she reached it over her head and slammed the other end against a Walkers head, breaking its skull open and sending it to the ground. A brief smirk crossed her face as another lunged and her, and with another swing of her bow, the cam caught the back of its head and cracked open its head as well, brains and black blood trickling out once its face met with a tree trunk.

Harli jumped to the side once another Walker tripped over a tree root and tumbled towards her. As the Walker struggled to get up, Harli gritted her teeth and slammed her boot against its back, sending it back to the ground where it deserved to be. With a deep breath, Harli focused all her energy, pain, and frustration into this one particular Walker. The heel of her boot crushed the Walkers head. One after another, a stomp of her foot crushed the Walkers brain, blood spattering her boots and bare legs with each go.

Her overworked brain neglected the two stray Walkers closing in for the kill.

She heard a swift clank and all her movements stopped for just a moment. She gasped as a Walkers body slammed against her feet and wheeled around to face the assailant. Merle's pistol shook in her hand as she tried to keep it steady, the sights aimed between the eyes of a living, breathing figure.

Her green eyes shook at the crossbow bolt aimed warily at her face.

Harli's eyes narrowed as the crossbow lowered and a familiar pair of blue eyes stared through her. She failed to lower the gun in her fingers, her body freezing in disbelief at the man standing before her. Neither of them spoke as recognition tied their tongues and locked them behind their teeth.

Harli's body moved faster than her mind as she still didn't think her crossbow wielding partner was real. The gun dropped to the ground and Harli slammed against Daryl, wrapping her arms around his chest and burying her bloody face into his flannel shirt. Daryl stumbled back from the force of her weight, but gently wrapped his arms around her shoulder and gripped her disheveled body tightly.

He heard her begin to weep and the warm wetness of her tears staining his shirt. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away, her eyes stinging when he saw her beat and bloodied face. Her left cheek had swelled into a dark grey mess, cuts under her eyes being the culprit of the dry blood on her face. He saw bruises in the shape of fingers all around her neck and even more extending down onto her chest, even below her shirt.

But her eyes, her beautiful and vibrant green eyes were now shattered into tiny, tiny little pieces.

"Are you alright?" His raspy voice asked worryingly and she wiped away whatever tears were draining from her eyes with the palm of her hand. She recoiled when she pressed against the bruising on her face and hissed, but ultimately, nodded her head.

"About as good as I look…" Her voice was groggy and Daryl watched as her chest heaved, up and down, trying to gather air in her lungs. She looked horrible and he couldn't imagine how she was feeling right now. He had an idea, though; from the time at Hershel's farm he had fallen in the ravine and gotten his bolt stuck in his side. He had to make it back to the farm on sheer willpower.

"Oh ho shit! Look at this!" Daryl's jaw clenched as he heard Merle's voice ring through his ears. He had finally caught up to Daryl and upon seeing Harli, he became overjoyed. "Hey there Apple Eyes! Didn't think you'd make it out… damn shame you're not as cute as you looked the last time we met."

Merle laughed and Daryl heard a shuffle, looking down and seeing that Harli had disappeared from in front of him.

"Harli!" Daryl wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her from her feet, her fingers digging into his skin as she attempted to squirm from his grasp. Merle laughed to himself and put his hands in the air, taking a couple steps back as he watching her flail in Daryl's arms.

"Shit Daryl, you got yourself a wildcat!"

"I should've killed you when I had the chance!" Harli shouted and Daryl kept her tight in his arms, growling in his throat when Merle continued to antagonize her,

"Now that hurts my feelin's babycakes! I wouldn't be able to have any fun with you if I were dead." Merle winked and Daryl became half tempted to let Harli loose and do whatever harm to him she so desired.

"Harli, calm down!" Daryl shouted and twirled her around so that she wasn't facing his laughing, mocking brother. He let Harli down and she turned to face him, Daryl staring at her sternly. Harli's face contorted into pain and she gripped her lower abdomen, almost dropping to her knees from the soreness. Daryl grabbed her arm and held her up,

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing… I'm fine." She groaned and looked back up at him, seeing as he had finally taken notice to her legs. Daryl's blue eyes narrowed as he stared at the chaffed, dried blood staining her tan thighs. He took a silent breath upon seeing bruises that were creeping out from between her legs, glaring at him wickedly.

"So, I take it you came from Woodbury if you have that asshole with you." Harli's venomous tone stung Daryl's ears and he managed to tear his gaze from her thighs to her face, seeing a frown forming on her chubby, swollen cheek. He looked back at Merle, still watching as he continued to smile at Harli. With a nod, Daryl looked back at Harli,

"I got captured by The Governor, he sentenced Merle and I fight to the death. Rick came, got us out, we managed to escape."

"Maggie and Glenn? I wanted to go back and find them, but there were too many gunmen around and I could barely handle them."

"They're alright. We got 'em out, safe and sound… but Glenn, he's a bit beat up. Looks just as bad as you do." Daryl nodded and Harli's eyes instantly flicked to Merle as he walked up next to them. Harli looked back at Daryl's blue eyes, many questions forming in her head,

"Well where's Rick and the others? Do you guys have a rendezvous point or something?" He immediately left her gaze and stared at the ground, shaking his head. Harli raised an eyebrow, "Well are you on your way back to the prison?"

"No." He said plainly and gathered the courage to look her back in the eyes. Her face grew confused as she didn't comprehend what he was trying to tell her. Daryl took a deep breath, half wishing he didn't show up to confront her. He didn't want to be the one to say goodbye; it would have been so much easier for Rick to tell her. He was never good at these things.

"I ain't goin' back."

"What do you mean?"

"Rick ain't lettin' Merle into the prison and I'm not about to leave my brother again." Harli only stared at Daryl, her ears hearing what he said, but her head not believing his words. A smile crossed her face and she laughed slightly,

"So you're telling me you're leaving? Like, never coming back?" With a slight nod of the head, Daryl shifted uncomfortably and Harli scoffed, trying her hardest not to blow up. "So just like that, huh? After everything you've been through will all of _us_ you're just gonna abandon us?"

"I ain't abandonin' nobody."

"The hell you aren't." She bit at him and he recoiled,

"Your girl's pretty damn cute when she's angry!"

"Shut up Merle!" Daryl barked and Merle narrowed his eyes at his little brother's tone. Daryl looked back at Harli, seeing her eyes welling up in tears. He began to chew on his lip nervously, not knowing what to do or say.

"You're seriously gonna go with Merle? He slapped me around _and_ stabbed me in the leg, I can barely walk!" She lifted her shaking leg, showing him the crusty, black and blue puncture wound continuously bleeding.

"Hey now… I was only doin' what I needed to do at the time."

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that." Harli growled at Merle and he shook his head,

"You're makin' it sound like I'm the big bad wolf! Couldn't have been half as bad as what The Governor did to ya." Harli froze and Daryl looked back at Merle, seeing the seriousness and honesty swelling in his blue irises. Looking back at Harli and seeing the look on her face, he narrowed his eyes,

"What'd The Governor do to you?"

"Let's put it this way… I ain't the one who did that to her sweet little face and put those bruises on her body."

Merle knew.

The older Dixon vouched for himself and Harli didn't protest against him. Daryl continued to look at Harli, who didn't offer a straight answer to him. He brought his face in front of hers, "What did he do?" He asked gruffly and Harli stared at him straight into the eyes,

"_Nothing._" Harli leaned down and grabbed Merle's pistol off the ground, shoving it against Merle's chest. It fumbled in his hands until he managed to get a good hold on it and he stared at it. Shouldering her bow, she looked back up at Daryl, who offered her no refuge. Shaking her head in disbelief, she scoffed and closed her eyes, slanting her face towards the ground.

"I'm going back to the prison, with or without you."

"You ain't goin nowhere in your condition." Daryl protested and Harli rolled her eyes, shifting the weight off her burning leg,

"I am."

"If you get hurt out there that's you blood on my hands and I ain't havin' none of that!"

"I'm already hurt, Daryl. Look at me! I've been beaten, I've been maimed, and I've been-" She bit her tongue and held her breath before the disgusting word escaped her lips. With a sigh, she shook her head and looked back at Daryl and his brother, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, ignoring the screaming pain in her cheek. "It's your decision to stay with your brother and I won't hold that against you. I'm going to make my way back to the prison, and if you try to stop me, I'll never forgive you and take it to my grave."

"Come with us… ya'll don't have to go back to the prison and we don't need to leave each other. Harli only shook her head at the idea,

"I'm not abandoning my family. After what you all did back at Woodbury, I can't imagine the shitstorm The Governor's gonna bring Rick and the others."

"All the more reason to come with us." Daryl said and Harli couldn't believe his words. She scoffed disappointingly and stared at him for a few moments,

"I can't believe you."

Daryl didn't want to let her go in the condition she was in. He could see it in her eyes and her shaking limbs that she was struggling to keep herself standing, and even conscious. But her stubbornness got the best of her and she was running on fumes and pure willpower. She wasn't going to have any of it, leaving Rick and the others behind, and he knew there was no point in arguing or convincing her to stay with him. She truly was the toughest person he had ever met.

Staring into Harli's hard, broken eyes, he knew he had been defeated. He mentally beat the shit out of himself, and with the point of a finger, he showed her the direction, "Prison's bout half a days walk that way… you'll make it by nightfall…"

"Goodbye, Daryl."

The words rolled bitterly off Harli's tongue as she turned around and limped away from the Dixon's, feeling their blue eyes boring into her back.


	32. Chapter 32

Harli's steps became slower and slower, weaker and weaker by each foot she walked. Her leg burned to the point where she had to step on the tip of her boot just to alleviate the pain surging under her skin. Her lower abdomen ached and her face was so tender that even the touch of her chocolate hair stung. She wanted so desperately to lie down and sleep, but she couldn't give up now. She needed to _prove_ to Daryl that she would make it back alive to the others; to her family.

She growled in her throat at the thought of him, warmth crawling up the back of her esophagus. Harli quickly shook her head to rid of anything that had to do with him. She still couldn't believe he had left the prison, left Rick and the others, even her.

The dull green eyes situated on her face sparked once she noticed the fencing of the prison coming into view. She tried to quicken her pace on the dirt road leading to the front gate, her fingers clinging onto her useless bow as it drug on the ground behind her. Clutching her stomach, she managed to break into a slow jog and her _home_ welcomed her through the tunnel of soft maple trees.

Harli came to a stop and leaned her body on the front gate, her head beginning to spin. She was clinging onto consciousness by a frayed thread and her heart throbbed heavily against her chest. Falling to her knees and dropping her bow into the dust, Harli's fingers intertwined in the fencing and she could feel warm dribbles of tears spilling down her cheek. She choked through her sore throat, a small smile forming on her face and a low laugh slipping through her teeth.

The gate was locked, and Harli knew that full well. But after falling to her knees, her legs cut out and they were too weak to lift her dead weight back to a standing position. She bowed her head and clenched her eyes shut taking a few deep, practice breaths. With one deep inhale, she raised her head and opened her mouth,

"_Rick_!" Her shout was hoarse and groggy, but she heard it echo off the nearest guard towers walls and onto the prison. Coughing a couple times, she took another deep inhale, "Open the gate! Please!"

Resting her forehead out of lightheadedness, the cold steel of the fencing made her sigh in relief. Someone had to have been outside to hear her and she half wished she didn't give Merle his pistol back so she could have fired off the last two bullets.

Her eyes flicked open and her head slowly turned around her shoulder, both seeing and hearing Walkers descending from the darkness of the trees. Taking in a light gasp, she flipped around on her rump and pressed her back against the fenced gate. Her fingers scrambled for her bow, and yet again, she was going to fight for her life until the end. Gripping the end of her bow, she lifted in front of her as if it were a sword and glanced over her shoulder, her attention now focused on the familiar figure standing behind the gate next to the guard tower.

Harli narrowed her eyes as her blurry vision struggled to focus on figuring out who it could be. Quickly taking a look back at the Walkers, continuing their approach upon hearing and smelling her, she crawled back to her knees and wrapped her fingers in the fence. Her eyes widened blissfully and her breathing became rapid, "Carl! Help!"

She watched as he disappeared from view faster than he appeared and Harli cringed, gritting her teeth and turning around. Pulling her knife out from its sheath, she readied as the undead stumbled towards her. Carl wouldn't be able to make it in time.

"Come on you son of a bitch!" Harli growled and a Walker lunged at her in taking her challenge. She grabbed the collar of its shirt, slamming it on the ground and plunging her knife through its eyeball. With a gasp, the Walker was finally put out of its misery as blood dribbled from its eye socket. A huge weight overtook Harli as she felt her head slam into the hard dirt. The force of her head jarring her senses and she could feel the struggling Walker desperately trying to bite her.

Gritting her teeth, she rammed her knife up through the Walkers jaw, blood spilling out of its head and splattering on her face and chest. Her eyes blinked slowly once she shoved the Walker off of her, hearing muffled shouts coming from behind her. She managed to choke down a dry inhale, her eyes spinning and her body shaking. Harli flinched slightly at the softened gunshots, staring up at the hovering clouds passing by slowly.

A rough pair of hands grabbed her arms and dragged her backwards. Harli's shattered eyes watched the tall fencing above her reassure her safety and the skin on her back felt the abrasive edges of the gravel underneath it. She was back in safe hands. Finally, she made it; through thick and thin, assault and heartbreak while avoiding death by a thin string, and she still made it back to the prison.

Harli's eyes rolled into the back of her head, catching a glimpse of a pair of light brown eyes before blacking out.

**.::.**

For the first time since Woodbury, Harli felt coolness soothing her body. Her mind was slowly surfacing from unconsciousness, in what seemed like forever. A bright white light took over her left eye, making her head toss softly from side to side to avoid the burning sensation. The gears in her head connected together and her senses unwound. Once she felt her other eyelid being pried open and shined with the bright light, she lurched her head up and looked around, seeing a blur of figures crowded around her.

"_Her pupils reacted to the light."_ Hissing through her teeth, Harli gripped her lower abdomen and grunted, throwing her head back against the soft mattress.

"Try not to move dear." Harli panted and looked at the face that spoke such soft southern words, seeing the bright blue eyes of Hershel staring down at her under his thick eyebrows. Her eyes narrowed as she finally realized where she was,

"Hershel?" He slowly nodded and Harli noticed Maggie and Carol in the cell as well. She felt something cold on her wounded cheek, flinching and recoiling at the touch. She looked back to Hershel, watching as he pulled the cloth back away from her,

"I'm just tryin' to clean you up…" Hershel stared into her broken green eyes, seeing the fear and pain surging through them. He placed the cloth on her face and rubbed it softly down her swollen cheek all the way to her bloody and bruised chest. "I'm gonna have to start stitchin' up your leg wound there. Is it a bullet wound? I didn't see an exit on the other side."

"No, knife. I got stabbed in interrogation."

"How'd you get out of there? We were worried sick." Maggie sat down on the edge of the bed, her eyes holding sympathy for Harli as they her injuries. Harli stared at the top bunk above her, chewing on the inside of her lip nervously and trying to redirect the pain in her body. With a breath, Harli's voice was faint and groggy,

"After I got a visit from The Governor, he left my knife on the desk. I managed to get a hold of it and cut myself loose; once Merle came to get me, I knocked him out and took his gun. I was going to find you guys, but then I heard loud explosions and gunshots while I was hiding in a room. I'm sorry I didn't go straight for you and Glenn."

"Don't be. That was Rick and the others. They found us and got us out of there."

Harli gasped and the sudden adrenaline pumping through her body managed to give her the strength to lift herself. Hershel was trying to wipe off the crustiness of dry blood and infectious skin around her stab wound.

"You're going to half to try and steady yourself. You have a lot of blood and wounds that need to be cleaned." Harli grunted and closed her eyes, taking a couple steady breaths to calm herself. She threw her legs over the side of the bed,

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

"Harli, lay back down you're in bad shape." Carol protested as Harli wobbly got to her feet. Leaning a hand on the wall, Harli rubbed her forehead and felt firm hands grip her shoulders. Looking up, she met with Maggie's eyes,

"You need to lay down you're in no condition to be walkin' around." Harli shoved Maggie's hands off her and stumbled back with a glare,

"I don't need your sympathy." Maggie stared at her friend shockingly from the bitterness in her voice. Hershel grabbed Harli's hand and she looked down at his as he stared up from his stool.

"You're tired, hungry, and hurt… let me finish cleanin' you up so you can get some rest." Harli let out a sharp sigh and a soft nod, looking back at Maggie and Carol with a stale look. Hershel dropped his wash cloth back into the bucket of cold water and shifted himself on the stool. "I'm gonna need you to take your shorts off. Don't be embarrassed now…"

A hard, dry lump of air rolled down Harli's throat and she looked down at her shorts. Hesitantly, her fingers found the button and she pulled the flaps apart. Holding her breath, she felt all eyes on her, Maggie crossing her arms and Carol leaning on the bunk post of the bed. Closing her eyes, she tugged at the frayed edges of the shorts she had made hours before, letting go as she pulled the clingy material from her thighs.

She didn't have to open her eyes to see the reactions of her fellow survivors. She could hear soft gasps escaping their lips and felt their gazes shift from anticipation to shock. Carol's hand cupped over her mouth and Maggie's lips parted in staggering alarm at the sight of the deeply colored bruises peeking out from in between her legs. Maggie looked down to her father, who was equally alarmed to see her extended condition.

Harli turned her face towards the wall shamefully and stood, fists clenched, frozen in place and just waiting for someone to say something.

"Harli…"

"It is what it looks." Harli replied to Maggie, glancing over at her with an irate look. Maggie then looked at the ground and Harli's eyes noticed a new figure in the doorway. Rick stood, narrowing his eyes at Harli's wounds and shifting his head. Hershel quickly got to his crutches and walked to Maggie and Carol,

"You two tend to her for now… I'll be back to stitch up her wound when you're done. Just holler for me." Hershel moved past Rick and grabbed his arm, pulling him to the side along with him. Rick looked over his shoulder and stood next to Hershel,

"The blood on her legs… those bruises." Rick said as he glanced back at Hershel, seeing his lips drawing into a thin line through his beard. Rick's brows narrowed, "Was she... raped?"

With a hesitant nod from Hershel, Rick let out a deep sigh and rubbed the tips of his fingers into his eyes. With a wave of anger, Rick shoved his foot against the door of a prison cell, slamming it into the wall with an extremely loud clang. Huffing, he looked back to Hershel, the two standing on the perch where Daryl used to sleep.

"It's easy to be angry about it, but it won't help her in any way."

"How bad is it?" Rick asked plainly and Hershel sighed heavily, shaking his head and searching for answers in the steel they stood on. Rick looked down to the first floor, stealing a couple glances at the members of the rest of his group as they looked up at him questioningly.

"It's hard to say right now. I doubt she'll let me evaluate her."

"Why do you say that?"

"The look in her eyes… it's entirely different from the last time I saw them." Rick nodded and rubbed a hand down his face,

"That's to be expected with what happened to her. I've had my moments with victims of sexual assault and the aftermath is never good; I wouldn't be surprised if Harli lashes out or has symptoms of PTSD."

"The deep bruising on her legs definitely shows signs of brutality. We'll be lookin' at moderate to severe internal damage. I can't imagine the pain she's going through." Hershel stated staring deeply into Rick's eyes, "What do we tell her about Daryl?" Hershel asked and watched as Rick sighed and rubbed his temples. His thumbs moved to his eyes for a moment before he looked back at Hershel,

"Let her get some rest for now, get some food in her. I'll talk to her about it later."

"You don't have to put that burden on yourself and you don't have to do it alone."

"Yes I do… it should be me and only me." Rick stared hard at Hershel and the older man nodded softly. He watched as Rick looked back over his shoulder at Harli's new cell, hearing soft voices echoing off the concrete walls. Hershel observed Rick, still concerned about his psychotic break in front of Tyreese's group earlier.

"How are you feeling, Rick?" Rick looked back at Hershel with a far off look and a soft nod. He brushed past the one-legged man,

"I'm fine." Rick continued down the stairs back to the first floor, leaving Hershel resting on his crutches worryingly.

Harli's breathing was unsteady as she felt the cold, wet clothes of Maggie and Carol rubbing down her legs. She felt warm tears staining her cheeks as she looked up through the veil covering her irises, the bed above her blurring.

Carol stared at Harli's condition, broken hearted at the sight of her. She could relate, in one way or another and the devastation of this abuse could go a long way. Looking over at Maggie, she placed the cloth back in the bowl of water and stood to her feet. Maggie and Harli looked up at her and a thin, small smile crossed Carol's face, "I'll go get you a change of clothes."

Maggie looked back at Harli, seeing the foreign and distance look on her face. Maggie's hand came to a stop and she stared at the swollen bruises on Harli's face, reminding her of the condition Glenn had been put in as well. Harli took notice to Maggie's staring, "What?"

Maggie bowed her head, "It was The Governor… wasn't it?" Harli sighed and closed her eyes, Maggie already knowing the answer, "I'm sorry… if you need anything, need to talk to anyone, I'm always here to help."

A smile crossed Harli's face and a small laugh escaped her lips. Tilting her head over towards Maggie, she stared her straight in the eyes, "Yeah, Daryl said the same thing a few months back and look what he did. Abandoned me and everyone else here…"

"How do you know about that?" Maggie asked confused and Harli only shook her head, returning her gaze to the top of the bunk. Her jaw clenched as she felt a sudden rush of resentment rolling up her spine.

"Just leave me alone right now."

"My daddy told me to clean you up; I'm not done yet." Harli sprung up and flipped the bowl of water over, dumping water all over her cell floor. She glared at Maggie irately,

"Leave, now!" Maggie stared back with both an understanding and shocked expression at Harli's demanding shout, standing to her feet and grabbing the bowl from the ground. Retreating out of the cell with her tail between her legs, Maggie met Carol's eyes on the perch,

"Everything alright?" Carol asked with a bit of concern and Maggie nodded her head,

"She doesn't want anyone in there with her. I suggest you put the clothes by the door and leave her be."

Harli grabbed the stool Maggie sat on and hurled it out of her cell so hard it crashed against the wall by the stairs, shattering into pieces. Harli huffed and ran a hand through her hair, watching as Carol meekly knelt down by the edge of the cell door to avoid any more projectiles Harli wanted to throw. Laying down Harli's new change of clothes, Carol exchanged grim glances with Harli before leaving her to herself.

Harli grunted and dropped to her knees in the puddle of water, gripping her stomach tight at the surge of agony taking her by surprise. Harli closed her eyes and took a few deep, much needed breaths before trying to struggle back to her feet. She grabbed a blanket from her bed and draped it over the cell door as a makeshift blind. With a clang, the door came to a close and Harli leaned down, grabbing the clothing Carol left for. Harli's legs were beginning to tire again from mass fatigue and she quickly retreated to her watery bedside, stripping off her shirt and undergarments, replacing them with new ones.

Pulling on a comfortable pair of deep grey sweats and a plain white T-shirt, Harli sat on her bunk and leaned her back up against the cold wall. Drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, tears suddenly drew out from her eyes and ran uncontrollably. She pressed her forehead and bruised face into her knees, sobbing and welcoming the pain aching in her face. She deserved it.

She waited so long. Waited for a strong, warm pair of crossbow-wielding arms to wrap around her, like they usually did, to tell her it was going to be alright.

**.::.**

Daryl leaned against a tree in the deep forest, staring off into the abyss of bushes, shrubs, and branches that were the great woods of Georgia. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, waiting for Merle to get done pissing on a tree like that dog he was. Tilting his head, he brought his face towards the ground and rubbed his thumb against the cold steel of his crossbow.

_Goodbye Daryl._

Her dejected voice played like a broken record and it haunted him for hours. He hated himself for not at least trying to follow her back to the prison to make sure she got their safe and it shredded him to pieces not knowing whether or not she got attacked by Walkers on the way. He grunted and closed his eyes, rubbing his free hand along the back of his neck.

"Why you so quite back there?" Merle called and Daryl looked back at him briefly, shaking his head,

"Don't worry bout it…" His raspy voice barely reached Merle's ear as he returned his attention to staring at his crossbow. His stringed companion was like a release for him. Daryl pushed himself off the tree and looked around with a deep sigh, "Ain't nothin' out here but skeeters and ants."

"Patience little brother… sooner or later, squirrels bound to cross your path sooner or later."

"Even so… that ain't much food." Daryl wanted to get his mind off Harli.

"Well, better than nothin'." Merle replied while finishing up and Daryl glanced back at him, shifting his crossbow to a more comfortable position in his hands.

"Probably have better luck goin' through one of them houses we passed on the turn off." Merle zipped up his pants and turned to face Daryl as his little brother leaned lazily on a tree. Merle scoffed at Daryl's survival intellect, knowing he had learned it from Rick instead of Merle.

"Is that what your new friends taught ya? Hm?" Daryl didn't turn to face him and Merle knew there was something off about him. "How to loot for booty?"

Daryl finally pulled himself off the tree and rolled his head, "Hell… we've been out here for hours. Maybe we could find a stream, try to look for some fish?" Daryl pulled up his crossbow and stared through the dotted sight, aiming his bolt at an innocent little leaf trying to escape in the wind. Merle hummed in his throat,

"I think you're tryin' to beat me back to the road, get me over to that prison…" Merle knelt down and grabbed a tripwire from the ground he had placed about an hour before. He started wrapping up the string around his metal stub, knowing Daryl was right in looking for a stream for fishing.

"It's shelter… food, water… a pot to piss in, might not be a bad idea." Merle glanced up at Daryl annoyingly with a brief smile, losing it at the thought of Rick,

"For you maybe, ain't gonna be no damn party for me."

There was a mere moment of silence and Daryl shifted uncomfortably, looking back through the sights of his crossbow. With a sigh, he uttered his words, "Everyone'll get used to each other…" Merle watched Daryl, seeing his tense shoulders holding a grudge. His little brother didn't get the gist; The Governor didn't take shit from anybody and he had no idea what the hell that man was capable of.

"They're all dead… makes no difference."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Right now… he's probably hostin' a little house warmin' party where he's gonna bury what's left of your pals and little girlfriend." Merle blurted out, hearing no words coming back from Daryl. He must've hit the spot to make him face the reality of the situation. There was no hope left for Rick's group; Merle knew that much. Merle rolled his tongue and pursed his lips, letting out a projectile whizz of spit through his lips,

"Let's go hook some fish." Merle walked past Daryl and noticed no movement from his brother. He stopped and looked back at Daryl, seeing his eyes staring at the ground and his face holding a foreign look. "Come on now."

Their eyes met briefly and Daryl looked back at the ground, hearing Merle step away from him. Daryl let out a thin sigh and shoved off the tree once again, pursuing after Merle.

Stepping over braches and walking quietly amongst the trees, the forest was oddly silent as they trekked through the lay of the land. Daryl kept his eyes out for signs of a water source: heavy moss growth, change in temperature, and thicker brush. He kept his mouth quiet, lost in his thoughts of everyone at the prison. Had The Governor struck while he was gone? He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if it happened. They weren't too far from the prison and he definitely would've heard the gunshots if the prison were under attack. If The Governor was half the man Merle said he was, he would lead on a full assault, no holds bar against Rick and the others.

Merle looked over his shoulder at Daryl, watching his eyes flicking back and forth through the trees. Daryl was chewing on the inside of his lip; something he always did when there were things on his mind or when he was anxious. Merle's jaw tightened and his eyes found themselves back in front of him, just in time for him to see a large log and step over it cautiously.

"So what's on your mind, little brother?" Merle stopped and turned halfway towards Daryl, finally catching his attention. Daryl stared into Merle's eyes, not saying a word. Merle knew what it was, "It's bout that little apple-eyed girl, ain't it? Ever since we came 'cross her you've been actin' all mute."

"Ain't nothin' to concern yourself with." Daryl bit back and Merle nodded his head, looking off into the trees. In a brief moment of silence, Merle looked back at the younger Dixon,

"Tough little bitch considerin' all the shit The Governor did to her. Pretty little thing she was… shame she left the way she did though, sure is fun to mess with." Merle finally caught Daryl's full attention and his eyes turned curious. Daryl took a couple steps towards Merle,

"What do you mean?" Daryl growled and Merle shook his head, slapping his hand against his thigh,

"What do you mean what do I mean? You saw the blood and bruises! Damn things speak to for themselves. Didn't think he'd take it that far, she didn't say a word." Daryl's hand slid to the strap of his crossbow and the nose of the bow scraped against the ground. Daryl's eyes bored hard into Merle,

"_What did he do_?" Daryl demanded and Merle narrowed his eyes, turning all the way to face his fellow kin,

"Come on Daryl, put the pieces together stupid ass! Them blood on her legs ain't all from the stab wound in her thigh." Merle knew his brother didn't want to put the pieces together, or accept the fact of what it was. Closing the gap between them and staring into Daryl's eyes of turmoil.

"The Governor raped that poor girl, son."

Merle was slammed back with such brutal force that it took his breath away when his back met with the trunk of a tree. Gritting his teeth, he latched onto Daryl's wrists and stared into his brothers madly furious eyes. Daryl had a vice-like grip on Merle's shirt and took him out like a bulldozer, his mind cloudy with rage and his blood boiling so hot under his skin he swore he was beginning to sweat. Daryl snarled at Merle, the two locked together like a set of fighting dogs, "You stood by and let somethin' like that happen to her!?"

Merle had never seen Daryl so furious before and Daryl's bark was definitely something he had to worry about more than his bite at the moment. Merle's grip tightened around Daryl's wrists, "If I knew he was goin' to do it I would've tried to talk him out of it! What!? You think I could've just crashed in like some knight in shinin' armor and saved her ass! That would've been my death sentence!"

"Sit there and use your excuses all you want you piece of shit!"Merle shoved Daryl off him and pointed a finger at his panting brother,

"Now you best watch your tone with me! I didn't know he did it at the time!"

"Bullshit!"

"Not until I saw the condition she was when we came across each other hours ago! Once I saw them bruises, I knew…" Merle dropped his hand and a lump of guilt rolled down through his Adam's Apple and dropped into his stomach heavily. Daryl's teeth clenched so hard they felt like breaking and his fingernails dug deeply into his skin, feeling the warmth of blood escaping onto his fist.

"Now calm down there… I didn't know she was your woman. But you gotta understand, if I would've done anything against The Governor, he would've but a bullet between my eyes with no hesitation."

Daryl closed his eyes and his face burned from the tightness of his muscles. He failed. He failed everyone, especially Harli, and he couldn't imagine what she was going through. Rolling his head he turned around and ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath and tilting his face towards the ground. It took every fiber of his being not to rip Merle to shreds, but he knew that it wasn't completely Merle's fault. It would have happened one way or another.

"We gotta go back." Daryl turned to face Merle and his brother's eyebrows narrowed,

"You know that ain't an option."

"I'm not debatin' on the matter. I gotta go back!"

"And what!? Leave me here to fend for myself so you can go back to those assholes!" A loud shrieking echo pin balled off the trees, making Daryl's face perk towards the noise. He narrowed his eyes as the sound emanated through the forest again, this time, quieter.

"You hear that?

"Yeah… wild animals gettin' wild."

"That's a baby." Daryl quickly grabbed his crossbow from the ground and brushed past Merle, following the trail of the echo. Merle wheeled around of the heel of his boot, following after his little brother. They had finally found a water source, but it came with a dire situation.

Daryl stopped and looked up at the tall bridge, hearing screams and loud shouts bouncing off the water into his ears. There were Walkers everywhere and two men standing on the back of a flatbed truck, trying their best to defend themselves. Daryl couldn't see the baby, but he could hear its desperate cries of fear.

"Hey! Jump!" Daryl heard Merle shout at the men beside him, growling to himself and shoving past Merle. Merle laughed and watched Daryl jog towards the bridge, "Hey! I ain't wasting my bullets on a couple of strangers than never cooked me a meal or fellatiated my piece!"

**.::.**

With a gasp, Harli's eyes opened and her head lifted from its crooked position. She noticed she was still sitting upright in her bunk, knees drawn to her chest, with her arms wrapped around them. The cell was darker than before, making Harli a bit confused on the time of day. She swore she had only fallen asleep for a few minutes.

But she was still so tired.

Harli's heavy eyelids almost shut for the last time of the night before a sound caught her ears. Looking at her cell door, still seeing the blanket covering the cell slits, she heard a pair of boots making way up the stairs. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the moonlit shadow of a figure crawling under her cell door and stretching to the edge of her bed.

With a low squeal, the door opened and Harli saw the outlined silhouette of her leader. She swallowed nervously and watched his head tilt as he stepped in. Rick's face finally came into view in the darkness and Harli slid to the edge of her bed, knowing he was here to talk. Her fingers wrapped around the bunk post and her other arm rested instinctively over her lower belly. Rick knelt down on one knee in front of her, his breathing steady and his equally broken eyes staring into her own. He ran a hand through his thick black hair and sighed, "How are you feeling?"

"Not as good as I look…" Her voice was low and scratchy as she answered his question. She saw his darkened face nod and her jaw tightened as she lowered her face, her hair hanging around it.

"Was it The Governor?"

"What?" She asked, facing Rick. He stared back at her deeply,

"Was he the one who violated you?"

This question again.

Harli let out a deep sigh and rested a hand on her forehead. Anger began to boil in her core once again, and the warmth crawling up the back of her throat reached her eyes and struggled down her cheek in a tear, "Yes."

It was what she waited for, but it didn't feel the same in what she hoped. Rick pulled her into his warm embrace tightly, but not uncomfortably. He sighed and Harli could feel his muscles tightening, "I'm sorry this happened to you…"

Rick held Harli as if she were his own daughter who had been assaulted. She had helped him so much in their time together, doctored his mental health when he needed it, and he just didn't know what to do to make her better. He was confused, though, that Harli did not return his hug, but it was mostly understandable.

Rick was the closest thing to a father Harli ever had.

Rick pulled away and held her shoulders, staring back into Harli's unresponsive eyes. Hershel had been right, they were so much different from before. "Maggie told me… that you know about Daryl."

Harli averted her eyes at the touchy subject and Rick's hands slid back to positioning themselves on his knee. Harli ran a hand through her hair and moved it from her face with a sharp sigh, trying to keep her frustrated tears at bay. "I ran into him… on my way back here. He told me what he did and why he did it. He wanted me to go with him and Merle… but I just- I just couldn't bring myself to abandon you and the others like he did."

"It must have been hard to make a decision like that."

"Good riddance." Her tone turned icy and Rick avoided her poisonous gaze for a moment. Her voice almost made her seem like an entire different person.

"Greg wanted to come up and see how you were… but I made sure everyone knew you needed your quiet and rest."

"So everyone knows what happened?"

"I never said that." He turned back to face her and she stared back at him with an unknown look on her face. With a soft shake of his head, Rick looked down at the remaining water under his boots, "Only me, Hershel, Maggie, Carol… and Greg. I told him because I thought he had the right to know. Being your friend and all..." Harli let out a sigh and drew one knee to her chest, resting her sore cheek on her kneecap.

"He's a good man. I'm letting him stay… after what he did to help us get you, Glenn, and Maggie back from Woodbury." Without a reply from Harli, Rick stood back to his feet and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. He was deathly tired, but he just couldn't bring himself to sleep. He could see that in Harli's face as well.

"I'm glad you made it back to us." Harli looked up as Rick walked towards the cell door,

"Rick." He stopped and turned halfway, looking at her. She saw his hand resting over the handle of his pistol, something he grew accustomed to doing these days. Finding his rupturing eyes, she nodded,

"You get some sleep, you look like hell."

Rick left Harli to herself and his boot steps faded down the small flight of stairs just outside her cell. She place her hands over her face and sighed deeply, her mind feeling as if it were dwindling over a pit of boiling lava. It was so suffocating in the prison for her.

She couldn't fall asleep. She waited for hours and hours, but her mind just couldn't escape to the safe house of unconsciousness. It could have been her short conversation with Rick, the aching pain that was breaking out of the pain medications grasp, or the constant image of Daryl's face in her mind. She had to get out. She needed fresh air.

Standing up against the cold ground, her feet moved slowly towards her cell door. She put all her weight on her wounded leg, her knee buckling and almost bringing her to the ground. She gritted her teeth and grunted, pushing herself onto her good foot and limping onto the catwalk. Harli glanced over the railing of the walkway, seeing Rick gone and no one else up and about. Taking her chances, she moved towards the stairs and quietly made way towards the bottom, her fatigued muscles making her legs shake with every bout.

Harli rubbed her belly and groaned quietly in her throat, staring at her old cell as she passed by. She heard her fellow survivors tossing about in their beds, the deep inhales of their lungs as they breathed serenely in their sleep. At least they had some escape from this desolate wasteland they called their world.

Harli saw the extra set of Daryl's old prison keys on a stool in the corner of the room. Looking over her shoulder, she froze as she heard a loud scoff; no one awoke from their deep slumber at the sound, making her journey easier.

Her fingers curled around the rings and she gripped them tight to ensure they wouldn't jiggle upon being picked up. Finding the right key, she placed it gently in the keyhole and turned it, pulling open and slipping through before it had the chance to alarm the others with a loud squeal. She continued her way through the cafeteria area of their cellblock, stepping up the small flight of stairs to the door leading out into the prison yard.

The cold air of early morning rushed against her face, making her entire body shudder with delight. A soft wind blew about her hair, feeling lonely strands tickling her face and getting caught on her lips and eyelashes. A sliver of the crescent moon peeked down at her curiously, wondering what she was doing outside all alone.

Harli stared out through the fenced gates the melted into the night sky. Closing her eyes, she felt her legs wobbling and the soreness in her face returning. It was so hard feeling this way. So much anger and confusion ate her alive and she could do nothing to stop it. She was just a simple puppet under its control.

Turning around, something caught her eye that made her heart throb and almost drop into the pit of her stomach.

Whatever light that shined down from the moon managed to bounce off the chrome handlebars of Daryl's motorcycle. It was practically begging for her to approach. As if in a trance, Harli's legs moved against her head's will and she found her hand brushing over the gas tank of the bike. Her fingertips tingled at its touch; how could he abandon such a beautiful piece of machinery?

She dropped to her knees and pressed her hot forehead against the liberating chillness of the gas tank. Her eyes tightened and she turned around, laying her back against the base of the motorcycle. Leaning her head back, she stared up at the beautiful night sky, seeing the array of stars blazing like little campfires.


	33. Chapter 33

Greg stepped up the stairs to Harli's cell as quietly as his boots would let him. He held a bowl of food in his hand, consisting of some oatmeal and canned fruit from the pantry cell. Harli must have been hungry; it had been all about two days. He noticed a blanket propped up on the wide open cell door, his brow furrowing in curiosity. He poked his head around the corner and his eyes widened to see Harli was nowhere to be seen.

Stepping back, he descended down the stairs quickly and through to doorway of the cellblock, staring at all the group members trying to eat a silent breakfast.

"Something wrong?" Glenn asked as he noticed Greg's slightly alarmed face. Greg looked over at him and stared for a few moments, trying to calm his nerves,

"Nothin' it's just… I can't find Harli."

"Maybe she woke up early and went outside." Hershel asked and Greg instantly looked to the door leading out into the courtyard and moved past everyone without a word. He pried open the door and yanked it closed behind him, stepping down the stairs through the mesh tunnel. The bright sun bore down onto his face, making the palm of his hand hover over his eyes to shield the annoying sun.

Once his light brown eyes became acclimated to the sunlight, he stared around the courtyard, trying to find some type of trace of his green eyed friend. He sighed sharply with discontent; this was not a time for her to be running off in her condition. As his head turned towards the vehicles, a flash of white caught his eye. Narrowing them, he stepped forward slowly, seeing Harli leaned up against the redneck's motorcycle. Her bright white T-shirt was what caught his eye and he quickened his pace towards her.

A jealous lump rolled down his throat upon seeing her passed out against the motorcycle. His free hand balled into a loose fist and his jaw tightened under the black scruff on his face. Daryl abandoned her and he didn't; Greg just didn't understand what was so special about him. Daryl was a degenerate; he was vulgar and awkwardly unstable.

Kneeling down, he saw the dark circles under her eyes from the fatigue she was most likely experiencing. He had no idea when she passed out in the yard against the uncomfortable bike but he had a vague idea on how she got out there. He noticed the spare key ring lying loosely in her fingers. Greg placed a hand on her shoulder and gripped it softly,

"Harli." With a light shake, she jolted awake and her hand instinctually flew towards him. In one swift movement, he caught her wrist as it hovered a few inches from his cheek. He stared into her wide green eyes,

"Greg?"

"Good mornin'" His southern accent winded in through her ears and he felt her hand limp, letting it go as she pulled it back towards her. Running a hand through her hair to rid it from her face, the bright light of the morning sun made her eyes squint. She groaned and rubbed her forehead,

"What the hell are you doin' out here?" Greg asked and Harli pushed off the bike, looking back at it and rubbing her back. Her gaze fell from the motorcycle and turned back to him,

"I don't know I just… don't remember."

"Well get away from the motorcycle is looks uncomfortable as all hell." He took her hand and helped her to her bare feet, seeing as her head turned back around to stare at the redneck's motorcycle.

"Don't look at it anymore." Greg moved her to the side and shoved his boot into the gas tank, the motorcycle wobbling off its kickstand. Harli's eyes widened as she watched it crash to the ground, flinching at the shriek of metal scraping against the concrete. Harli looked to Greg and saw a triumphant half smile on his face,

"You _better_ hope Daryl doesn't come back and see what you did… he'll rip your spine right out of your back and shove it up your ass." As if he had taken it as a challenge, Greg looked at Harli with a smug grin,

"I'd like to see him try." Greg grabbed Harli's shoulder and turned her to face him. "No more dwellin' on the matter. He's not comin' back and you gotta accept that. It's not good for your health." Harli took notice to the bowl of oatmeal and fruit in his hand, staring at it greedily. With a smile, he pushed it towards her, "Now you get some food in that belly of yours. Let's go inside, I'm sure everyone's worried about you."

"Yeah right…" Harli mumbled to herself, walking past Greg back towards the entrance to the cell block. She took the bowl of food with her and Greg watched as she walked away, the dark grey sweats swaying with her as she stepped about. He looked back at the downed bike with a huff and followed after Harli.

Closing the door to the cellblock behind him, he saw Harli had taken a seat on one of the tables in the cafeteria. He sat down next to her and she glanced at him quickly before returning her attention to the food in front of her. Slowly, she ate her food, knowing that Greg's eyes were secretly on her the entire time. She felt oddly uncomfortable around him for some reason, like something was boiling under his skin that she didn't know about. His gaze felt dangerous and even though his touch was soft, it felt like a rock had slammed against her skin.

"We need to figure out what to do." Harli's attention came to Glenn and she looked up, seeing him rummaging around in a bag for an unknown object. She noticed the cherry red bruise all around his eyes, swallowing guilt down her throat. She looked over to Maggie, who felt her gaze, and the two briefly locked eyes awkwardly.

"What are you talking about, Glenn?" Hershel asked and Glenn turned around to face the one-legged man, Harli noticing a stick of chalk in his hand.

"We need to make a plan for it The Governor shows up here. It's only a matter of time." Glenn walked towards him and bent down on the ground, quickly drawing and mapping out a makeshift area of the prison. Carl watched Glenn drawing curiously, tilting his head under the sheriff hat propped on his head.

"Carl, sit right here." Glenn pointed and Carl hopped over the map Glenn drew on the floor, leaning down in front of him. Glenn pointed with the chalk, "Now this is where you found Tyreese's group, here?" Carl nodded with a shift of his foot,

"Yeah."

"We secured this!" Glenn hissed annoyingly, Carl only staring at him briefly before looking back down at the map. Harli got to her feet and walked over, crossing her arms as she hovered behind Carl. Glenn looked up at Harli and choked down the words he was going to say to her, staying on task. Carl finally got his thoughts together and used his finger to trace a path through the makeshift map,

"He said he thought he came through here…" Glenn sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair,

"It means there's been another breach… okay, the whole front of the prison is unsecure! If Walker's just strolled in then it's gonna be cake for a group of armed men."

"Why are we even so sure he's gonna attack? Maybe you scared him off?" Beth said doubtful and Harli went to speak but was cut off by the black woman in the corner, whose name she learned was Michonne.

"He had fish tanks full of heads… Walkers and humans-trophies." She took a long pause and stared over at Harli, who shifted uncomfortably on her bare feet. "He's comin'…"

"We should hit him now." Glenn was confident and Beth looked at his as if he were crazy,

"What?"

"He won't be expecting it! We'll sneak back in and put a bullet in his head!"

"We're not assassins…" Carol said doubtful, staring him at the same matter as everyone was at that second. Glenn stood to his feet and walked to Michonne, his body tense,

"You know where his apartment is, you and I can end this tonight." Michonne sighed and looked away, slow debate reigning over her face. Glenn pushed forward, "I'll do it myself…" Michonne looked back at him hesitantly, but eventually, her head moved in a slow nod. Glenn nodded as well with a small smile,

"Okay."

"He didn't know you were coming last time… and look what happened. You were almost killed, Daryl was captured." Harli tensed at his name as it was spoken through Hershel's soft southern voice. "And you, Maggie, and Harli were almost executed."

"You can't stop me." Glenn hissed as he walked towards Hershel, his gaze turning deadly. Hershel ignored the sinister tone in Glenn's voice and shook his head,

"Rick would never allow this…"

"You really think he's in any position to make that choice?" Harli latched her hands onto Glenn's shirt and slammed him against the wall. Everyone was as equally startled by her action as Glenn as he stared down at her. Harli glared at him, her jaw tight,

"You are an idiot if you think you're just going to waltz into Woodbury and take out The Governor." Glenn shoved her hands off of his attire and the two stared at one another challengingly, not backing down. "Our king is not dead yet."

"What makes you so sure?" Glenn bit back at Harli and she narrowed her eyes, leaning in closer as if she were trying to intimidate him. Harli felt a hand on her arm, pulling at her,

"Harli back off."

"Let go of me!" Harli shouted and looked back at Greg as she tore her arm from his grasp. Her attention returned to Glenn when he heard his hectic voice,

"He's gone, so is Daryl, and I'm left in line to lead us!"

"You're killing us is what you're doing! Going on a suicide run with Michonne over there thinking you can sneak back into Woodbury and take down The Governor so easily like the others did for us. Use your goddamn brain! He's probably got that place locked up tightly and already swallowed the key. The amount of armed men in that place is ridiculous and what do we have?" Harli turned and motioned for everyone in the room. Her eyes found Glenn's irate face once again, "We're not capable of doing any of that, and neither are you."

"You're not going to stop me!" He pushed in her face and Harli stood her ground,

"What's going to happen to us if you and Michonne are killed? You might as well sign all our death warrants. You're only thinking for yourself."

"I'm thinking about what's best for this group!" He shouted and Harli balled her fists,

"All you care about is revenge!"

"Please you two, stop fighting!" Hershel lifted his crutch between Harli and Glenn, pressing it against Harli's chest and struggling to push her away from Glenn. He and Harli's eyes continued to lock together and once Hershel deemed the two a safe distance among each other, he looked towards Glenn,

"T-Dog lost his life, Lori too… the men that were here. It isn't worth anymore killin'!" Glenn sighed and looked way from Hershel as the older man pushed for Glenn to listen to him, "What were waitin' for, if he's really on his way, we should be out of here by now!"

"And go where?" Glenn asked arrogantly and Hershel let out a discontent sigh,

"We lived on the road all winter."

"Back when you had two legs and we didn't have a baby crying for Walkers every four hours."

"We can't stay here." Hershel argued and Glenn put his foot down,

"We can't run."

Greg caught Harli before she stepped forward towards Glenn. She wanted so badly smack him; he was getting so full of himself it burned Harli's eyes just staring at him. It made her even madder that Greg was holding her back; she didn't want to be touched. Maggie caught her eye and she flipped around the doorway, quickly walking back to her cell to escape Glenn's stupidity.

Glenn sighed and watched Maggie walk away, his eyes fading to Harli and the livid expression that crossed her face. He looked back at everyone, their eyes lost and pleading for some type of leadership. He had to think like Rick; that's who they were all used to listening to.

"Alright… we'll stay put. We'll defend this place… we're making a stand." Glenn shifted back to the map on the floor and looked at Carl, "Carl, you and I will go to the tombs and figure out where the breach is."

"You'll need some help."

"I'll come, too." Michonne and Harli stepped forward to volunteer for the deadly task. Glenn instantly got to his feet and denied them both,

"No. In case anything happens I need you up here and you are definitely not in any shape to do anything." Glenn looked to Harli more concerned than mockingly. Harli sighed sharply and turned around, sitting back on the bench in front of her cold oatmeal. Greg stared at her for a moment before looking back at Glenn,

"You guys are gonna need all the help you can get. I'll go with you. Michonne will be perfectly capable of protecting the group if something were to happen." Glenn was apprehensive and he looked down at Carl, seeing the boy giving a soft nod. With a sigh, Glenn looked back over at the taller man,

"Alright. We leave in a few minutes." Greg brushed past Glenn towards Hershel and put a hand on his shoulder with a soft whisper escaping his lips,

"Keep an eye on Harli?"

"Of course."

**.::.**

Harli sat on her bunk with a duffle bag sitting loyally at her feet, flaps wide open. She looked through the various amounts of women's clothing, trying to find something worth wearing. She wanted to desperately to get out of the baggy sweats making her legs sweat and the pure white T-shirt on her chest; she might as well have been a walking target.

Pulling out a cream colored tank top, she lied it down on one knee and pulled out a pair of black shorts. She looked up at her cell door and walked towards it, pulling it shut with the blanket still covering most of the slots for privacy. Her thumbs hooked the stretchy waistband of her sweats and she pushed them off her hips, letting them drop to the floor. Sitting down, she stared at the bruising on the inside of her thighs, running her hand over them as softly as she could. They tingled at her touch and she was slightly surprised to see that the bruising wasn't as bad as they looked the day before. They still hurt like any bruise would, but the blood must have accented a deeper color, making everyone's reaction yesterday over-alarming. They were light grey in color, and when she stood up, she could barely make out they were there. It was a tough call on her end whether or not she should wear shorts, not wanting to answer any more annoying questions from her fellow survivors. Especially Glenn; he was on a rampage and finding out what happened to Harli would only make it worse.

Harli stood up and pulled the black shorts up her long, tan legs, buttoning them and looking down to see if the bruises were peeking out from under the cloth. She smiled in her head, seeing that the shorts were most definitely longer than the bruises, but short enough for her puncture wound to breathe. No more uncomfortable, tight jeans. She pulled the cream-colored tank top over her head and positioned it comfortably on her torso. Her hand involuntarily slid to her neck and her eyes closed, her muscles freezing when visions clouded her mind.

She stared up at The Governor, feeling his fist pounding into her face numerous times, and then, his large hand wrapping tightly around her neck. Struggling to breathe, she mustered up the strength to grab his wrist and try to pry off his grip, but it was too strong. Her eyes were blacking out and panic rushed her bloodstream; she was slowly losing her fight and even the will to live. She felt his other hand press down on her chest and inaudible words spilling from his wicked lips, followed by a light laugh. His hand rose above his head in one last final blow to her face-

Harli jolted and took a deep breath, her hand slapping against the puncture wound in her leg. But no pain came from it, it all focused in her throbbing face. Harli held her head and groaned, not knowing exactly what just happened. It didn't happen to her yesterday, making her a bit uneasy. But she knew that she was getting too comfortable with the fact that she was assaulted; The Governor wanted to make sure she didn't forget it.

Quickly to get her mind off the matter, she grabbed her bow from leaning on the wall and laid it across her legs. Staring at the cam she used to break open the skulls of numerous Walkers, her eyes narrowed when she noticed it was bent. She sighed with dissatisfaction; she had wounded her partner in battle. There was also another problem; there was a crack in one of its limbs, most likely blunt force trauma from too much of Harli's adrenaline.

Harli found a roll of duct tape in the duffle bag and managed to patch up the crack the best she could. The bow wouldn't last forever in this condition, but it had a few more battles in its strings before snapping to its death. She attempted to pull back the bow string to see if the cam still worked, but she hissed and let the string go, holding her stomach. Abdominals were one of the playing parts in a heavy drawback of a bow and that was just something Harli couldn't do at the time. She stared at her trustworthy companion, brushing her fingers over the scratched up and damaged camouflage finish.

Her ears perked once she heard Glenn's frantic voice and the squealing protests of a cell door being opened. Harli grabbed her knife from the bed and quickly limped out of her cell, down the steps, and towards the cafeteria. Her hobbling came to a halt when she saw Glenn, Carl, and Greg all panting and staring around at the other,

"What's going on?"

"Tombs are full of Walkers…" Carl responded with a pant, the three clearly out of breath from trying to run through the prison and avoid the Walkers.

"We're wasting time… The Governor's supposedly on the way and we're stuck here with Walkers."

"For the last time, running is not an option!" Glenn bit at Hershel and Carol looked over towards him,

"Glenn if the tombs have filled up again it's only a matter of time before the Walkers push in here."

"Or a fence gives way." Beth added and Harli looked over at them,

"But you guys have to remember we know our way through the prison, The Governor and his men don't. Walkers can be used as an advantage here; it's dark in there and hard to find your way out."

"Yeah but Glenn put up those white arrows they can take to that easily." Greg looked over at Harli and she crossed her arms,

"We don't know that for sure… but if the Walkers are in the areas you guys say they are it's gonna be real hard for them to push through the Walker-packed hallways to follow the arrows."

"Yeah but what if they don't go the way they think they will? A herd could pass through and we'll be settled before we know it." Axel stated and Harli looked over at him, Carol speaking before she could,

"Harli's right about one thing, we can't handle that with just the few of us."

"And what little artillery we have left." Greg vouched and Glenn took a moment of silence to think. With a deep breath, he looked to everyone as their leader,

"Okay… we… we just need to scout the far side of the prison! Find out what's going on."

"You're goin' out there?" Hershel asked skeptically and Glenn nodded,

"Take a truck… make it quick."

"I'll drive." Axel walked towards Glenn and Glenn put his hand up to stop him,

"No… you stay here and help with the… fortifications. I'll take Maggie."

"You sure she's up for that?" Hershel's question was more rhetorical than anything and Glenn only stared at him. Slowly, he stepped to the side towards the cell block and disappeared to find his female companion. Harli looked back at everyone,

"I think we should gather our guns and see what we're looking at weapon-wise. The Governor has some pretty strong stuff and we're no match for it unless we get our arms in line."

"I'll go get the gun bag." Carl walked past her and Carol stepped up towards Harli,

"Axel and I are gonna go finish putting up some table tops as defense on the outside walkway."

"I'll go get the pallets ready." Axel volunteered and ran up the stairs of the railway above them, going to the door leading to the outside. Carol looked back at Harli curiously, holding back her hand from touching her shoulder,

"How are you feeling today?" She asked quietly and Harli looked back over at her. She saw the caring look in the older woman's eyes and nodded,

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me; we have more important things to do right now." She moved past Carol as she saw Carl tossing the gun bag on the table behind Hershel. She and Greg walked up, Carl unzipping the bag and yanking the flaps open. Harli grabbed an AR-15, Greg pulling out the pistols and assessing their ammo and condition. Greg had always had a knack for pistols; he was like a God among them.

Harli lied out the all the assault rifles from the armory on another table, Carl handing them to her one by one. Carl then took to ammo boxes, passing them to her and then helping her count them all. Harli looked back at Greg, seeing that he was making more progress with the small amount of pistols than she was, "About eight more boxes of pistol rounds here."

"I have about twelve boxes of AK rounds and sixteen AR." Harli said back without looking back at him over her shoulder. Carl looked up at Harli,

"Seven AR-15's and two AK-47's."

"That's good, everyone should be able to hold a rifle whether their defending themselves or not."

"Hey Carl, I need you to open the gate and close it behind me when I leave." Glenn strolled in and walked past the three towards the door. Carl watched him pass by,

"Isn't Maggie going with you?"

"No." He said plainly and left out the door. Harli narrowed her eyes and his tense figure and then looked back down at Carl as he asked her a question,

"Need any more help?"

"No, I think we're done with the guns for now. Just go help Glenn." He nodded and quickly jogged towards the door to ready Glenn to go on his suicide run. Harli huffed and looked back down at the guns,

"Became quite the little hardass, haven't you?" Greg smirked while pulling back the slide on a pistol, seeing if it were loaded or not. Harli looked back at him and began checking all the assault rifles, making sure they were loaded as well. Harli scoffed and shook her head,

"Hardly. Just not a little girl afraid of the dark anymore."

"I remember when you were so shy and polite… now here we are, you throwin' people round and snappin' at them like an angry gator." Harli didn't respond as she concentrated on checking the rifles. Greg laid another pistol on the table and glanced back up at her, seeing her tense shoulder. He sighed,

"I know you're in pain and you're trying to get through your ordeal, but ignorin' it won't help you." He walked around the table and stopped behind her, "I dealt with a lot of victims in my time… and they all react different to what happened to them in their own way. You don't realize how much it will benefit you if you talk about it."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Why? Because it's humiliating?" Harli whirled around to face him, her eyes hard on him with irritation scratching to the surface.

"Because we have more important things to do."

"You're startin' to sound like Rick. You want to end up like him?" He asked bluntly and Harli narrowed her eyes with a soft sigh. She rubbed the back of her neck and turned back around, resting both her hands on the table and closing her eyes. She heard Greg's soft boot steps walking next to her,

"I've been your friend longer than any of these other people. Even though I spent a year by myself in that warden's office… I didn't forget about you. We've been through hell together in this _very prison_ back in the good days; there's should be nothing in your head you can't tell me about. But I get it… it's hard to trust people and talk about it. You're hard headed and don't want their pity, hoping they won't look down on you because of what happened."

"Greg… please stop…" Harli plead and looked back at him, her eyes watering. His face softened and he nodded,

"Sorry… just… don't put me in the back of your mind anymore." The two stared at each other, for what seemed like, forever. Harli shifted uncomfortably and turned completely to face him,

"Let's go outside and see what else we need to do." Greg nodded and she walked past him steadily, leaving him behind for a few moments. Greg heard the door open and stared at the guns on the table.

Harli stepped outside; beginning to put more weight on her wounded leg to try and get it acclimated back to working order. She limped out into the sunlight, feeling the warmth of the sun creating goose bumps on her skin. Carl and Beth were standing outside and Harli made way towards them,

"Hey Harli."

"Where's Hershel? I thought he was out here?" Harli looked around for the man stalking around on his crutches, but she didn't see him. Hearing the door to the cellblock shutting, she looked over her shoulder to see Greg walking out towards them.

"Daddy went down to try and talk to Rick." She saw Carl's head dip and narrowed her eyes as she looked out into the abyss of prison fences. She saw Hershel pushed up against the fence below and Rick on the other side of him. She heard Beth sigh, "He's been down there for hours."

"He'll get better… he just needs to get some sleep." She put her hand on Carl's shoulder for reassurance and gripped it, making him look up at her. The look in his eyes made Harli's stomach churn and it made her realize that the same look in her eyes most likely did the same to everyone else.

Harli's ears rang, when out of nowhere, a gunshot exploded through the stale air. She heard a scream and looked over to see Axel falling to the ground, Carol, along with him. Harli shoved Carl and Beth to the ground, "Run you two! Go!"

Carl grabbed Beth's hand and pulled her along with him towards the concrete wall. Suddenly, a barrage of gunfire blew through the prison yard and Harli felt a hand around her waist, yanking her behind a makeshift garrison as bullets whizzed past her, almost claiming her life. She gasped and felt cold steal against her chest, seeing Greg had shoved one of his pistols against her chest.

"What the hell's going on!?" He shouted and threw his hand over his head when he heard the bullet's trying to pierce the metal shroud they hid behind. Harli's eyes peeked over the top, looking down at the culprit standing by an all-white truck at the bottom of the prison. Her eyes widened in panic and her lungs stopped breathing when she saw him; saw _The Governor._ Her breathing became frantic as sudden fear and anguish washed over her, not being able to move her body to avoid the raging bullets.

The Governor stared through his scope, seeing Harli's face staring over the side of the steel support she hid behind. Upon recognizing his handiwork obscuring her innocent face, a sinister smile filled his lips and his attention now focused on her. She was the one who got away and this time he wasn't going to let her twice.

"Harli, get down dammit!" Greg yanked her down with his just in time as The Governor pulled the trigger, bullets digging into the steel violently to kill their target.

Greg stared down at Harli, seeing her face frozen, her eyes wide, and her body shaking uncontrollably. Greg gritted his teeth and bowed forward when he heard another assault burning up behind him. A loud growl escaped his lips and he turned around, pointing his pistol at the Woodburian thug who managed to prop himself on an adjacent guard tower. He only managed to pop off three missed shots before the man's assault rifle let go its own confrontation, making Greg dip back down behind the steel.

Suddenly, the gunfire stopped and everything went dead silent. Greg slowly looked over the metal shroud, seeing Carl staring back at him with anxiety eating at his face. Greg looked back down at Harli, seeing her shaking hand shoving hair out of her face,

"The Governor… it's the… The Governor." She whispered, looking up at him. She gripped the pistol tightly and Greg put a hand on her shoulder,

"Can you handle this? We need to protect everyone and I can't do it without you!"

Harli clenched her eyes shut and struggled to steady her breathing, as well as her shaking body. She didn't know what came over her, but she could feel The Governor's tight grip on her throat again. Gritting her teeth, she squatted on her heels and looked back at Greg with a sharp nod. The Governor wasn't going to take control; not this time. Greg needed her and so did everyone else. She already lost Daryl, she couldn't lose anyone else.

"Beth! Greg!" The door to the cellblock slammed open and Harli turned, seeing Maggie sprinting towards them with assault rifles in hand. Maggie handed two to Beth and then tossed one to Greg, taking quick refuge behind an old filing cabinet before being shot down by the Woodburian man in the guard tower above them. Harli grabbed the rifle from Greg's hand and shoved the pistol back towards him,

"You're a better shot with a pistol than I am!"

"Harli, wait-!"

Harli jumped up and ran towards Maggie, quickly diving behind another set of filing cabinets stacked next to her. Her leg slammed against the ground and she hissed in pain, pressing her back up against the cabinet. She looked over at Maggie, the two women's eyes talking as if they were simply holding a conversation. The two women panted and Harli put up three fingers, slowly counting down for an assault.

_One… two… three…_

Maggie and Harli flew up from their positions and their fingers yanked the triggers. Bullets flew from the barrels towards the Woodburian and pierced and ricocheted off the metal railings he hid behind. Harli didn't know how, but the man managed to dodge their onslaught and wrecked on his own. Harli and Maggie jumped back down to their previous positions; Harli feeling a bullet whizz past her head, making her gulp.

The gunfire stopped again and Maggie exchanged quick glances with Harli. The two look confused as they heard a loud engine crying. It was getting louder and louder by the second and Harli quickly peeked around the corner of the cabinet, staring back down where The Governor stood. Her jaw tightened and then, out of nowhere, a large truck came barreling down the dirt road towards the prison.

"What the hell is that?" Maggie asked behind her and Harli gripped the side of the cabinet tightly, wondering what was going to happen. The truck wasn't stopping as the gap between it and the front gates were vastly closing.

"Oh no…"

The truck blew through the front gates, hauling itself into the prison yard and gradually coming to a stop. Harli pulled up her rifle and aimed steadily at the truck, staring through the sites and waiting for someone to step out. She didn't know if this truck was friendly; but she couldn't take those chances. Her heart pounded and waited anxiously, her eyes searching for some type of movement, but her scope couldn't reach the distance. It sat and idled quietly as if taunting the prison survivors.

The long steel gate propped on the back of the truck slammed to the ground, startling both Harli and Maggie. Harli's brow furrowed confusingly and once she saw what stepped out of the truck, she gasped and her mouth gaped open.

Walkers staggered forward, snarling and hissing as they stepped into the sunlight. The crazy ride into the prison really riled them up. Harli's eyes desperately searched for any sign of Hershel down in prison yard. She knew he was down there, but it was killing her inside not knowing whether or not he was alive. If he was, the Walkers wouldn't take much time to change that fact.

The door to the truck was torn open and a masked, much protected individual jumped out, gun in hand. They sprinted towards the front gate and Harli pulled the trigger, her bullets chasing their feet as they ran. She quickly held her fire as soon as she saw Michonne jump out of the way of the masked figures bullets and Harli didn't want to take the chance of hitting her. Harli knew she didn't have many bullets left and the thought of her being defenseless clouded her mind.

She slammed her back up against the cabinet again when she heard more bullets piercing the cabinets around her and Maggie, knowing the Woodburian on the guard tower was not willing to let them live. Harli heard returned fire from Greg, Carol, and Carl, but none of them still managed to hit him. He had such a fast trigger finger he was proving quite difficult to eradicate. Harli huffed and bounced on her crouched legs, her stitching burning like a hot knife. Counting down in her head, she jumped up and stepped out from behind the cabinet, standing her ground and pointing her rifle at the man. Taking a deep breath, she saw through her sights that he immediately took notice to her appearance and it was a matter of who was the faster triggerman. Harli pressed the gun tight against her shoulder for a more accurate aim and her finger became relentless, pressing down on the trigger and not letting off for a second. She heard Maggie shout but she didn't pay attention to what she was saying.

A bullet pierced the man in his temple and he fell backwards in defeat, blood dripping from his wound.

"Get to the gate!" Harli shouted once seeing that The Governor had retreated to his vehicle and spun out away from the prison. Carl ran towards the gate fumbling with his keys and the lock. Walkers had spotted them and quickly made their way towards the fresh meat. Harli's fingers curled in the specs of the gate and ripped it open once the chain fell to the ground. Harli's rifle begged to be fired as she pulled it against her shoulder, taking aim and granting the guns wish.

The survivors lined up and began to take down Walkers, one by one, head by head. It took every fiber of Harli's soul not to drop the gun and go after every Walker meandering about with her knife. Her heart dropped when the gun clicked and no more bullets escaped the barrel. She was out of bullets. The rest of the group stopped firing when the silver Dodge Ram of Glenn raged through the prison yard. Michonne ran through the gathering of Walkers swiftly taking each one out with the silent movement of her katana.

Michonne and Glenn quickly helped Hershel into the truck, barely missing the greedy jaws of Walkers by inches. Harli stepped back when Glenn swung the truck around towards them,

"Get back inside!" Maggie shouted and the group stepped back behind the fence, Carl and Harli grabbing the gate and shoving it closed as soon as the tailgate of the Dodge found safety behind its quarters. Carl wrapped the chain around the two fence posts and snapped the lock shut. They all gathered around each other, rifles in hand, and stared out at the devastation the stood in their wake. Harli watched as Walkers from the road, attracted by the battle, were slowly making their way into the prison yard to join the rest. They had been compromised, almost killed, and now, their defenses had been completely exterminated. If The Governor wanted a fight, he sure got it.

_**This means war.**_


	34. Chapter 34

_Daryl_

The only word that came to mind at that moment.

Harli stood, frozen in her boots, staring as Rick, Merle, and Daryl all rushed towards the gate, Carl and Glenn readying to open it once they got close enough. As they inched their way through the Walker-infested prison yard, Harli took a step back and dropped her rifle to the ground. She turned around on the heel of her shoe and walked back towards the cell block, rushing up through the fenced corridor and in through the heavy steel door.

Greg looked over his shoulder and saw her rifle lying on the ground, seeing that she had disappeared from the scene. He heard the large steel door open to the cell block and saw a brief flash of her figure before she was gone. Greg was going to pursue after her but the gate to the prison yard opened, letting in Rick and the Dixon brothers. Greg narrowed his eyes and turned around, seeing Rick in his disheveled appearance barely able to walk in his fatigue. Daryl and Merle followed in behind Rick, Glenn and Maggie raising their guns against Merle. Greg's fists clenched as he locked onto the older brother, marching towards him,

"Put your damn guns down!" Daryl shouted while stepping in front of his brother, Merle stepping back to avoid the conflict. Glenn glared at Daryl with his finger on the trigger,

"Rick said he's not supposed to be here!"

"We just saved his life!" Merle barked and Glenn tried to push around Daryl, but Daryl put a hand on his shoulder and kept him at bay. Glenn gritted his teeth and stared at Merle over Daryl's shoulder,

"Put the gun down." Daryl ordered and Glenn only glared back at Daryl. His eyes widened when he heard Merle shout and turned around, seeing him crashing to the ground. Greg jumped on his older brother and Daryl reacted fast, seeing as everyone just watched instead of intervening.

"Get the hell off me!"

"Like hell!" Greg lifted his fist up for another blow and his eyes widened went he felt a brute force yanking him to his feet. Greg quickly ducked down to avoid Daryl's grueling fist and slammed his shoulder into Daryl's chest, tackling him to the ground. With equal strength, the two men wrestled on the ground and Greg came out on top, shoving his knee down on Daryl's chest. But with quickness, Daryl threw his fist into Greg's cheek and knocked him to the ground. Daryl scrambled to his feet and yanked out his knife, lunging at Greg,

"Stop you two!"

"Stop!"

The group finally took their chance to intervene and Carol and Glenn jumped in front of Daryl, stopping him before he plunged his long knife into Greg's face. Merle got to his feet and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, "Come on, let 'em have at it! I wanna watch my little brother tear that guy a whole museum of new assholes!"

"No one's doing any of that!" Rick finally stepped between the two and glared at Daryl briefly before turning to Greg. Greg got to his feet and growled, yanking out his pistol and sighting Daryl right between the eyes. Rick then yanked out his own gun, which was empty of bullets, and pointed it at Greg. He used his pistol more as an intimidation technique than anything.

"Drop your gun, now!" Rick panted and his eyes turned deadly towards the former detective, seeing that Greg's gaze only staying on Daryl.

"We shouldn't be fightin' with each other; this isn't the time for that!" Hershel hobbled towards the crowd on his crutches, not pleased about the situation that was brewing in front of him.

Rick pressed forward and shoved the gun in Greg's face, who finally took notice to the barrel pointed at his forehead. Greg's brown eyes met with Rick's hectic gaze, "Put the gun down or I won't hesitate."

Greg knew he was bluffing and his mind barely cleared enough for him to see the type of situation he was in. With one last look at Daryl, Greg's arm slowly retracted and he shoved the gun back into the holster on his belt. Greg glared back at Rick, who finally lowered his own gun to the ground, "Don't think I'm gonna take this new partnership kindly… I'm only here for Harli."

Rick narrowed his eyes at Greg and watched him strode away towards the cell block as if nothing had happened. Rick looked back towards his group as they all desperately searched for an answer in his eyes. He then looked down at Axel's body, seeing his body riddled with bullet holes and blood staining the concrete all over.

"Everyone, get inside. Now." A few glances passed from one another and the members of Team Prison before following after Rick towards the cellblock. Daryl and Carol exchanged quick glances and Daryl grunted, turning around and snatching his crossbow from the concrete. He saw the red mark already forming on Merle's scruffy face and Merle couldn't help but smile.

"Mr. Dicklips has a pretty nasty punch, I'll give him that much."

"Come on." Daryl huffed and shifted the backpack on his back, making sure it covered the garden of scars on his skin. He heard Merle trudging after his little brother and they reached the cell block, stepping into the cooling comfort of confinement.

"Never thought I'd be so happy to be inside a prison. Kinda feels like home." Merle mused from the top of the steps, everyone glancing at him as Daryl shut the door behind them. Daryl stopped next to Merle and the two brothers' blue eyes met,

"Ya'll stay put and don't do nothin' stupid." A large lump slid down Merle's throat and he gave a hesitant nod at his little brother. Daryl nodded back and stepped lightly down the little steps towards Rick; only one thing on his mind in that time frame. He didn't see Harli anywhere in the prison and it made his heart slam hard against his ribs. It was like he walked in slow motion towards Rick, a million questions laying waste to his brain at each dying second. Rick watched as Daryl stopped in front of him, seeing the look of turmoil in his eyes,

"Somethin' wrong?"

"Did Harli make it back here?"

Rick looked around at his group and quickly scanned the faces of the surrounding members, not seeing Harli in sight. Daryl lowered his eyes and waited for the answer to slip out of Rick's mouth. "Where's Harli?"

They weren't the words he expected. Curiously, Daryl looked around at the many puzzled expressions crossing everyone's faces. They looked to one another, trying to find an answer to confide to Rick's question.

"She was with us outside during the attack…" Maggie explained and Carol looked over at Rick,

"She might have gone back to her cell."

"Better not have run off again. Last thing we need is to be losin' more of our own." Rick said and looked back at Daryl, seeing his eyes turn with some type of relief. Rick shifted the weight on his tired legs and his muddled blue eyes screamed for sleep, "Harli found her way back somehow. We took care of her… got her back on her feet in some sense."

"No help from you assholes." Greg mumbled from the corner of the room, staring up at Harli's cell through the sidebars of the cellblock doorway. Daryl growled low in his throat as Greg's brown eyes shifted over to Daryl hatefully. The two wanted so badly to tear each other's throats out. Daryl brushed past Rick,

"I'm gonna go talk to her."

"I don't think that's a very good idea." Greg stepped into the door way to the cellblock, cutting off Daryl and stopping him in his tracks. Daryl narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth under his lips, trying his hardest not to knock the man out where he stood. Greg tilted his head and words rolled off his tongue bitterly, "You were the one that left her behind, made her come back on her own where she almost died at the front gates. You don't have the right to her anymore."

"Try to stop me and I'll put your face into the floor before you'll have a chance to take another breath." Daryl stepped forward challengingly to the point where the two men's noses were almost touching. Rick quickly intervened before things grew violent once again, shoving the two away from each other with his hands.

"Enough!" Rick took to Greg and his eyes narrowed at him, establishing his place as the dominant male, "I'm grateful for what you did to help us in Woodbury, but if you don't knock your shit off; I won't hesitate to throw you out into the prison yard to be Walker bait. You're not the only friend Harli has here; Daryl has just as much right to her as any of us, _including you_."

Greg wasn't intimidated by Rick in the slightest, but he moved out of the way of the cellblock door, knowing that Rick was true on his word. Daryl triumphantly glared at Greg as he passed by, Rick still standing in front of Greg to make sure he didn't lash out at Daryl again.

Daryl stepped carefully up the steel stairs to his old perch, stopping by the railing and staring at Harli's new cell towards the end. His footsteps were slow as he approached, seeing the door half closed with a blanket covering the steel slots. The crossbow on his back slowly slid down his arm until the tip clanked onto the railway, Daryl leaning it up against the wall. His chest burned as he didn't know what to say; what to expect out of her after all that has happened to her. Daryl made sure to slide off the large backpack on his back before he entered, wary that the new plaid shirt he had put on his back did not shred apart from the force of his bag.

The door squealed softly as he pushed it open, his shadow crawling into the cell before he had a chance to step in. There she lied on her bed, face to the wall as his shadow danced about in front of her. She didn't move, not even flinch as he knew she heard his boots making way towards her. Stopping, he leaned on the wall behind him and hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his pants patiently. His teeth involuntarily took in the skin of his cheek and chewed anxiously. Daryl's eyes flickered to the ground, knowing that it was partially his fault she was in this condition. Maybe she never wanted to see or talk to him ever again?

His head flicked up as he heard her shift in the bed, watching as she lifted up her torso, but only faced the wall. "What do you want?" Her voice was rough and tired, making Daryl push off the wall and stand upright. He stared down at her, waiting for her to turn around and face him. He wanted to see those bright green eyes he became so fond of,

"Came to talk. Make sure you're alright." Daryl not stood only a few inches from the bed and finally, she shifted her body to face him. Once her face hit the little rays of sun, he internally recoiled at her bruised face and his heart nearly dropped into his stomach at the sight of her broken eyes. The tightness in her face spoke for itself,

"I'm fine. You can leave now." Harli said plainly and rested her hands in her lap, staring up at him. There was a part of her that was absolutely ecstatic that he was back and she felt like crying. But there was another, more dominant part at that time that just wished he had never come back. It was an internal war.

"Ain't gonna get rid of me that easily." Daryl turned and sat down next to her on the bed, Harli shifting a couple inches away from him. She fiddled with her dirty fingernails and kept her eyes focused on them, knowing that Daryl was staring her down. Daryl found himself searching for the bruises on her legs, but the shadows of the cell blocked them from his view. But the finger marks on her neck exposed themselves proudly, making Daryl's hand ball into a brief fist. With a deep sigh, his eyes searched for some type of forgiveness in Harli's face,

"I'm sorry… for everythin'." Harli watched him from the corner of her eyes and she saw the sincerity in his face. Daryl's head dipped shamefully, "Merle told me…" Daryl fiddled with a string on the hole in his pants nervously, thinking all the way back in the forest when he blew up on Merle. It killed him inside when those words hit his ears and the amount of guilt Daryl felt in those moments was unbearable. He wanted to take everything back.

Harli faced him fully and stared with a broken gaze, her eyes narrowing at him. Daryl met her gaze and shook his head, "If I would've known at that time, I would've made sure you got back to the prison, safe and sound."

"You make it sound so easy." Harli got to her feet and walked towards the cell door but was immediately stopped once Daryl softly grabbed her wrist. She quickly yanked it from his grasp and turned halfway to face him. Daryl shook his head and his pleading expression froze her in her boots,

"Don't go."

"Why not? I want you to know what it feels like!"

"I'm tryin' to make things right! Quit bein' so hardheaded!" Daryl shouted and Harli gritted her teeth and turned fully to face him, balling her hands into fists. Harli huffed,

"What's there to make right? You didn't even offer to take me back to the prison and leave with Merle from there… I ran on the threads of my adrenaline all the way to the front gate until Walkers came out of the forest and attacked me. If Carl wasn't standing out in the prison yard, if Rick and Greg didn't get me when they did, I wouldn't even be here right now!"

"I didn't know what happened to you then. You didn't even bother to tell me."

"You think I wanted to put that burden on you?" Harli asked as she inched towards Daryl slowly, staring deep into his eyes. She shook her head and a large lump rolled down her throat, "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you worrying about me every step of the way. It would have gotten you killed…"

"That's your problem, always thinkin' bout everyone else but yourself!" Daryl bit back unintentionally, leaning forward into her face. He tapped on his chest with his index finger, "I could've gotten you back here without a hitch and you wouldn't have had to worry bout nothin'!"

"Stop trying to put this on me!" Harli shoved him back and the force of her hands made him step back a couple feet. He stared at the fury in her eyes as her hands were beginning to shake, "You were the one that pointed me in the direction! I shouldn't have to have told you what The Governor did to me for you to get me back here!"

"I was bein' stupid!"

"I know…" Harli hissed and she wheeled around on her boot, wanting to get away from him.

She felt a stern hand on her shoulder and a sudden wave of shock went through her body. Before she knew it, her arm moved on its own and her hand smacked solidly across his cheek. Harli gasped and brought both hands over her mouth, staring in blatant disbelief at what she had done. Daryl didn't move a muscle, didn't say anything, and didn't lash back out on impulse.

Tears began to run down Harli's cheek and she sat down on the edge of her bunk, still staring at Daryl as he finally managed to look down at her. Even in her anger and fury, she never thought that she would ever lay a hostile hand on Daryl. She didn't even think she had it in her.

"I… Daryl…"

"It's fine… I deserved it." Harli closed her eyes at the sound of his calm voice, resting her forehead on her hand. Her bed bowed under a sudden weight and she looked over to see him sitting next to her, even after what happened.

"I shouldn't have grabbed you like that."

"I don't know what's happening… I can't control myself." Harli wiped the tears off her cheeks only for them to be easily replaced. Daryl sighed and got on one knee in front of her, gently placing one hand on each of her knees. Harli's eyebrows furrowed and she stared at him gloomily, seeing the red mark on his face already forming.

"I don't expect you to forgive me just like that. But I promise you that if I ever get my hands on this Governor, he's gonna think burnin' in hell would be a lot more pleasant than what I'm gonna do to him." Harli knew he was downright serious by the deadly tone in his voice. As he didn't hear any reply from Harli, Daryl began to get back to his feet to leave so she could get some more rest. He's reunion with her didn't go exactly how he thought it would.

But he was caught off-guard when he felt her arms wrap around his neck as she pulled towards him in a hug. Now on her feet, he could feel her warm tears dropping onto his neck and her arms a bit shaky around his thick neck. Hesitantly, his arms finally managed to wrap themselves around her small figure, careful not to induce anymore unwanted violence.

"I'm really glad you came back…"

"Glad to be back." Daryl mumbled and felt her body trembling under his skin, sighing and closing his eyes. He was relishing in the moment; not knowing whether or not he would have the chance to hold her like this for a while.

**.:=:.**

"We need to leave now while we have the chance."

Harli's eyes popped open from a light sleep upon hearing Hershel's deep southern accent. She groaned and lifted herself from her bed, running her hands through her hair and standing to her feet. Barefooted, Harli walked towards the doorway of her cell and lifted her hand over her squinted eyes from the morning sun glaring through the barred windows.

The first thing she saw that morning was Daryl, who nodded at her presence as she walked out of her cell.

He leaned on the railway in front of his own cell, deciding to take refuge next to Harli's chamber. Harli walked forward and leaned on the railway, seeing Rick, Carl, Glenn, and Maggie all standing on the main floor; Michonne standing next to Glenn, polishing her sword of Walker blood with a dirty rag. Hershel sat on the steps to the perch, staring at Rick worryingly.

Harli caught Greg's glaring eye and stared back at him, seeing the hateful chaos brewing about in his light brown irises.

"We're not leavin'."

"We can't stay here!" Harli's full attention now came back down to Rick and Hershel as they started a group meeting on what the next step in their plan was. Maggie yanked out her pistol and quickly checked to see if it was loaded,

"What if there's another sniper? A wood pallet's not gonna stop one of those rounds."

"We can't even go outside." Beth stood next to Carol on the perch above the stairs and Carol looked over at her,

"Not in the daylight."

"Look, if Rick says we're not running, we're not running!" Glenn vouched for his leader, completely agreeing with Rick. Merle stood behind the cellblock door with his arm resting through the slots of the steel, staring back at the group with slight amusement.

"No… better to live like rats!"

"You gotta better idea?" Rick called and everyone's attention seemed to focus on Merle, the odd man out, as they looked to him for an answer. Merle shrugged his shoulders smoothly and only stared back at Rick,

"Yeah we shoulda slid outta here last night; lived to fight another day. We lost that window, didn't we? Now I'm sure he's got scouts on every road runnin' outta this place by now…" Daryl brushed past Harli and stared down at Merle,

"Yeah, well we ain't scared of that prick."

"You should be… that truck through the fence thing? That's just him ringin' the doorbell. We might have some thick walls to hide behind but he's got the guns and the numbers. And if he takes the high ground round this place? Shoot…. He could just starve us out if we wanted to…" Everyone grew silent and had nothing to saw against Merle's words. Harli stared down at him and he looked up at her from the corner of his eyes. Maggie looked over at Rick,

"Let's put him in the other cellblock!"

"No… he's gotta point."

"This is all you! You started this!" Maggie shouted at Merle and ignored Daryl above her. Merle sighed patiently and Beth intervened,

"What's the difference whose fault it is!? What do we do?"

"I said we should leave… now Axel's dead! We can't just sit here!" Rick had nothing to say to Hershel and only turned around to walk away. Irately, Hershel got to his crutches and took in a deep breath,

"_Get back here!" _His loud voice echoed through the cellblock, making goose bumps rise on Harli's arms. Never had she ever heard Hershel raise his voice like that. She could tell Hershel was growing incredibly impatient with Rick as he was tirelessly going about the prison and never settling anything with the group. Hershel hobbled towards Rick on his crutches,"You're slippin' Rick… we've all seen it; we understand why but now is not the time! You once said this isn't a democracy? Now you have to own up to that! I put my family's life in your hands! So get your head clear and do something."

Rick only nodded and walked to the cellblock door, Merle stepping back as Rick opened it with his keys. Harli watched him march out of the cellblock, leaving everyone with unanswered questions and a half-thrown together plan. She shoved off the railway back into her cell, sitting down on her bunk and grabbing her boots. Slipping them on, she scrambled the laces around them tightly and stood to her feet. Tucking her bangs behind an ear, Harli reached under her pillow and pulled out her knife, strapping it onto her belt. Just as she left her cell, an object in the corner caught her eye and she turned, seeing her bow staring back at her miserably. With a sigh, Harli grasped the limb of her friend and lifted it, staring at the bent cam that prevented her from using it.

She found herself stepping down the stairs of the railway and back to the main floor, walking past everyone towards the main cellblock door. As she approached to open the door, Glenn stopped her, "Merle's in there. You shouldn't go in by yourself." Harli stopped with her hand on the door and stared at him solemnly. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head,

"So?" Glenn only stared at her plain tone, not having anything else to say as she pulled open the door. But Harli stopped and stood in the doorway for a few seconds, looking back at Glenn,

"Sorry about yesterday… for slamming you into the wall."

"It's okay; I was being stupid."

_Seems everyone has been saying that lately. _Harli stepped through the door and closed it behind her, hearing voices and looking up to see Hershel and Merle sitting with each other in a conversation. Not wanting to bother them, she slipped past them quietly and lied her bow down on a table. The toolbox sat on a cluttered table and her hand reached in, rummaging around to find a pair of pliers and possibly a hammer. To her luck, both a hammer and pliers occupied her hands and she retreated to the table. As she took a seat, she grabbed the cam and studied it closely.

Harli ignored the soft creaking of Hershel's crutches as they moved back towards the cellblock door. Her green eyes continued to stay focused on the task at hand in front of her. Grabbing the hammer, she lied the cam down on the tabletop and lightly tapped on the steel piece, trying to get the bend to straighten. With a huff, she set the hammer back down on the table and fiddled with piece, trying to figure out the next step.

Merle stepped out of the small caged space in which he was sleeping, hearing a clanking commotion in the room. His blue eyes found Harli as she sat at one of the tables, toying with her bow with deep concentration as she didn't take notice to her presence. Slowly, he stepped towards her curiously, chewing on his cheek in the same matter Daryl usually did when he was anxious. Merle wanted to make things right with her, as well as everyone else in the group, if he were to stay. He wanted to prove to everyone he was on their side and he'd do anything to watch his little brother's back.

"Whatcha doin' there Apple Eyes?" Merle sat down on another table next to her, studying the movements she used against her bow with a pair of pliers. Merle tilted his head curiously as she ignored him, "You're gonna mess up that cam and your bow'll be useless by the time you're done with it."

"Did you come to pester me because you're bored?" She asked without looking up at him and Merle couldn't help but smile and huff to himself,

"That all you people see me as?"

"Suppose so… the way you antagonize everyone."

"With my ass on the choppin' board and The Governor makin' his way here… well, let's just say I'm smart enough to know now isn't the time to go shootin' my mouth off at everyone."

Harli gritted her teeth and gripped the handles of the pliers tightly, pressing the bow away from her to get some response from the bend. She growled and threw the pliers down on the table, rubbing her forehead with her hand. Merle watched her closely, seeing the tightness of her shoulder muscles, "Let me see that thing; I might be able to get that bend out before you break it."

"No, I can do it." Harli grabbed the hammer and began to tap at it again, this time, a little more roughly than before. Merle recoiled at the sound, seeing that the bend in the cam wasn't being straightened out properly. He sighed at her stubbornness and rested his elbows on his knees, watching her intently. For some odd reason, he had a hard time mumbling out the words he wanted to say to her.

"Your name is Harli… right?"

"Yeah…" Harli kept her eyes straight at her task and Merle nodded, smiling internally at her name; knowing she had to have some type of affiliation with the famous brand of Harley Davidson. Then Merle's eyes crossed over the no-man's land of the bruises on her neck, swallowing a lump of guilt down his throat. It slowly rolled down into the pit of his stomach, making his body even heavier than before.

"I want to mend the fences of what happened back in Woodbury. You gotta understand; that was all business. What The Governor did to you? I'm truly sorry that it happened." The small pounding of the hammer stopped and Harli stared past her bow into the table. Slowly, she put the hammer back down and her eyes trailed up to Merle's hesitantly.

"How did you know?"

"After we ran across you in the woods, I saw all that blood on your legs and the condition you were in. I didn't notice it at first when you slammed that damned chair into me and knocked me on my ass. I put all the pieces together. It took Daryl a while… I had to spell it out for him and the result was not a pretty one."

"I imagine it wasn't…" Harli mumbled and twirled the pliers in her hands, staring at the tiny, jagged teeth of the tips. Merle nodded his head and looked down at his hand, playing with his thumbnail.

"Never in my life has Daryl ever put a hand on me like that before. Kinda took me by surprise when I found my back against a tree. He's pretty fond of you, my little brother… never seen him take too much interest in a girl. But then again… he's a lot of things now that he never was before." The two both looked up at the same time to see each other staring at one another. Harli could see the sincerity in his eyes, the anguish of trying to be accepted muddling his scruffy face.

"I just want you to know that I'm not the man everyone thinks I am. I did a lot in my life I'm not proud of, before and after… I just did what I had to do to get my family back. As for The Governor… if I knew what he was plannin' I would've tried to talk him outta it. I may be an asshole… but I know when the lines been crossed; especially with a woman."

"I don't blame you for what you did, and frankly, I've accepted it." Merle was a bit surprised from her outright forgiveness; or what he thought was her forgiveness. Harli nodded her head and sighed, running her hand across the camouflage finish of her bow, "I knew that The Governor was the type of man who would do anything to get what he wants. From the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew what he was and what I was in for. I already accepted at that moment the possibilities and the fact that I would've died that night. I hate that the group is dwelling on it, for the handful of them that actually know, and I wish they would just accept it and move on like I did. But it's understandable that they don't, especially Daryl."

"You the one that put that handprint on his face last night, weren't you?" Merle couldn't help but smirk at the fact and Harli averted her face in subtle shame. Merle chuckled in his throat, "I told him not to get all gung-ho. Shoulda given you some space; you were pretty damn angry he left the group."

"Yeah well… he's not outta the dog house quite yet." She couldn't help but smirk at him and Merle snickered to himself once again, imagining Harli smacking Daryl right across his face. He could just see the look on Daryl's face after it happened; pure shock and awe. But he was also a bit surprised she smiled and joked with him; none of the other group members beside Hershel and Daryl bothered to talk with him.

"Kinda surprises me that you're bein' so calm. You just about took me to the ground again last time I saw you; like all your little friends here in the prison. They want to use me as a bargainin' chip with The Governor." Merle glanced over to the cellblock door, losing his smile; No one beside Daryl wanted him here and it pissed him off. What did he have to do to prove his worth? He already saved Rick's ass yesterday from Walkers on the assault and he was willing to give every bit of detail on The Governor to help bring the dictator down.

"I doubt that it will happen. Rick may not like you much but he won't sacrifice you for our sake. Hershel likes to see both sides of the fence and if Daryl's willing to fight for you well… so will I." Merle's eyebrows furrowed and his blue stare grew hard,

"What the hell for? If it weren't for me none of this shit would be happenin' right now."

"Your actions were justifiable… and even though you act the way you do, I can see the good in your heart even if the others aren't able to see it. I've always had that uncanny ability. You're a good man, just like Daryl."

"Well… thank you kindly." Merle nodded with a soft smile at her kind words. Harli found herself staring at the metal stump of Merle's arm and saw a long piece of jagged metal duct taped to the end. Harli snorted at it and Merle lifted it in front of him, observing the piece,

"Nice razor there Rambo."

"Hey now, it's the best I could do your little friends won't let me have a knife." Harli reached for her waistband and slid her knife from the sheath, twirling it in her hand and staring at it. Sighing to herself, she pinched the blade in her fingers to where the handle pointed at Merle,

"Here… this'll probably do a lot more damage than whatever the hell that thing is." Merle took the handle of his old knife and stared at it and then looked back at Harli questioningly. She shrugged, "It was yours after all." Merle smiled and tossed it back on the table in front of her, shaking his head,

"Thanks for the offer but it'll do better by your hand."

"Merle!" The two looked over to see Daryl walking in and slowing his pace as he noticed them staring at him. Harli's stomach got heavy when she saw the red mark still on his face. Daryl's eyes flickered from Harli to Merle, wondering what his older brother was doing around Harli. "What're ya'll doin'?"

"Your girl here's tryin' to fix the cam on her bow; doin' more harm than good." Daryl looked down at the bow on the table and tilted his head at the bent cam. He saw the hammer and pliers lying next to it menacingly, scoffing to himself,

"What the hell do you think you're doin'? You're gonna screw this thing up permanently." He sat down at the table and grabbed the bow, pulling it back towards him. Harli and Merle watching him study the cam, his fingers tracing over the bend and seeing the damaged the hammer and pliers were doing. Daryl looked back at Harli, "Walker's head?"

"Yeah… it happened when I got back to the prison. When the Walkers attacked me I had to use it like a bat… kinda wish I didn't do it…"

"Yeah well… had to do what you could at the time." Daryl felt guilt role up his spine and set the bow down on the steel table, chewing on the inside of his cheek. Harli ran a hand through her hair and sighed to herself, closing her eyes, "I can try to fix it if you want."

"Don't worry about it… I don't have any arrows for it anyways; it's virtually useless right now." Harli glanced at Daryl and he put the bow back down on the table. His eyes narrowed,

"What happened to all the arrows?"

"When I got out of the room where I was kept in Woodbury I hid in a room where they stashed all the weapons. I found my bow but then when I heard the flashbang go off I guess I forgot about the arrows."

The loud squeal of the main prison door opened and Rick stepped through, rifle and binoculars in hand. He glanced at Daryl and flicked his head towards him, wanting Daryl to follow suit. Daryl nodded at him and stood to his feet, exchanging quick glances with both him and his brother before quickly going after Rick.

"Alright everyone… we need to get in order here. Maggie, you get on watch."

"What's goin' on here now?"

"Let's find out." Harli stood to her feet and followed the echoes of Rick's voice, both she and Merle stopping in the doorway. Merle hung his stump from the bars of the doorway and Harli crossed her arms. She watched Maggie walk out from the armory cell, a long-range rifle propped carefully on her back,

"Keep your eyes open and head down." Rick advised Maggie and she nodded with agreement. Rick walked towards the rest of the group to consult them and Harli stopped Maggie,

"I'll go with you to stand watch. You shouldn't be out there alone."

"You sure?" Maggie asked and Harli nodded in a reply while walking past her towards the armory. Harli knelt down and rummaged around in the gun bag, pulling out a loaded pistol and tucking it against the small of her back. She stood up and found an AR sitting on the bed, snatching it up and throwing the strap around her shoulder.

"Harli." Her ears perked at the sound of Greg's southern accent and she turned around, seeing him standing in the doorway. Turning to face him completely, she could see the hostile look in his eyes, making her uneasy.

"What's up?"

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be using a gun."

"Don't patronize me Greg…" Greg huffed and narrowed his eyes, stepping towards her,

"I'm not tryin' to… I just think that this entire situation has gone too far."

"What? The Governor busting down our front door? It's not our fault." Greg stood silent and the two stared at each other for a few moments before Harli sighed. She shook her head and stared at Greg worryingly, "What's wrong with you Greg? You haven't been acting like yourself lately." She watched his Adam's apple bob in his throat and a deep sigh escape his lips. He leaned on the doorway and his brown eyes met her,

"Those brothers that just showed up. You should stay away from them."

"Excuse me?"

"The older one was the one who put that knife into your leg, put some of those bruises on your face. Now you're goin' to be friends with him? And Daryl… just gonna give him a free ticket after he abandons you… huh?" Greg spit to words out of his lips with disgust and Harli stared at him confusingly. She couldn't help but smile and stare at him in disbelief,

"You shouldn't be worrying about me and what I do. It's not your place to talk."

"It is my place to talk because I've known you longer than they have!" Greg spit and Harli recoiled at his venomous tone. He huffed and stepped over towards her, "I'm leavin' tomorrow before things start gettin' ugly… I want you to come with me." Harli narrowed his eyes at his request and her lips parted in distrust. His brown eyes bore deep into her gaze and she shook her head,

"I can't… I didn't go with Daryl when he asked me and I'm not about to go when you do. I'm not abandoning my friends; especially when they're gonna need me the most."

"Harli… this is your chance to escape death. These people are doomed!"

"I don't care… I'm not going." Harli shoved past him and Greg's shoulder bounced off the wall. He turned around to see she had already left the cellblock in the rush. Huffing to himself, he saw Merle staring at him with a smirk as the older Dixon continued to lean on the open prison door. Greg growled in his throat at the sight of his stare and Merle shook his head,

"You ain't gonna win against my little brother, asshole…"

**.:=:.**

Harli and Maggie sat in silence next to one another, their rifles propped on their laps as they sat still. Through the slots of the wooden pallets leaning on the fence, Harli watched Walkers meandering back and forth along the fence line. She knew they could smell her and Maggie but they couldn't see them. Harli's eyes moved out past the Walkers into the trees beyond the unsecured fence, scanning the area for any sign of Woodburian movement. Sighing to herself, Harli closed her eyes and kept hearing Greg's voice repeating words over and over again in her mind. Something definitely put her off when she talked to him; it was like he was an entirely different person. He talked differently, thought differently, and even acted differently around her. He was suffocating; always being around her and trying to talk her out of her decisions. It was like he was becoming oddly possessive of her.

Harli then looked over at Maggie and saw the distant look on her face. She knew Maggie didn't like the idea of Merle staying with them at the prison. But like everyone else, she had to get used to the idea that Merle was there to stay. Harli remembered when she had showed up at the prison a couple days ago and the rude treatment she had given to Maggie. Harli sighed internally to herself and dropped her gaze to her lap, her fingers tracing over the black lining of her assault rifle.

"How you doin' Maggie?" Harli asked in a low voice, careful the Walkers didn't hear her. Maggie looked over at her with a slight squint from the sun, nodding at Harli in acknowledgement.

"I'm fine… what about you? How you feelin'?" She matched Harli's low voice and Harli looked out towards the Walkers, hearing them grunted and snarling as they passed by,

"Better... I'm not really sore anymore. My stomach hasn't been hurting either."

"That's good. I'm glad…" Maggie whispered back and the two women sat in silence for a few more minutes. Harli muscled up the courage and looked back to Maggie,

"I'm sorry for what I did a few days ago… snapping at you, basically throwing the stool at you… I wasn't in my right mind."

"That's okay… I know how you feel." Harli narrowed her eyes at Maggie and knew there was something coming her way. Maggie took a deep breath and looked into Harli's eyes sincerely, "He almost did it to me too…"

"What?" Harli asked shockingly and Maggie nodded her head, looking down at the rifle situated on her lap. She fumbled with a string,

"The Governor came in after what he did to you… was about to try the same thing on me. Gave me a choice to either take my shirt off or he'd cut off Glenn's hand. I did and he walked up behind me, bent me over the table, and pushed against me but… he didn't go through with it. I think he knew it wouldn't work…" Harli's eyes slowly dropped to the concrete and she closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath. Harli's head rocked to the side and she pushed her bangs from her face, looking back at Maggie, who continued to stare down at her rifle.

"I'm glad he didn't."

"But he did it to you instead."

"Yeah but… I've learned to live with it. You don't deserve to have something like that happen to you." Maggie stared back in disbelief at Harli and Harli stared back with a solemn look,

"You didn't deserve it either-"

"_Psst_!" The two women looked back once they heard the hiss and saw Carl staring through the hatches of a pallet, "There's somethin' weird out there."

He pulled the binoculars back up to his face and Maggie and Harli's conversation was cut short. Maggie slid the barrel of the rifle through the pallet slots and fence behind it, staring through the long range scope. Harli squatted down on one knee with the boot of her heel pressing into her rump, staring out past the gates. A figure walked with a Walker towards the shattered front gates, Harli narrowing her eyes and grabbing her rifle. She looked over at Maggie once she looked over her shoulder at Carl, "Andrea! Get your dad and the others!"

"Andrea?" Harli whispered back and Maggie nodded her head. Harli stood to her feet slowly and stared out as Andrea made her way towards the front gates, finally coming through them. Carl disappeared quickly and made his way towards the cellblock. Maggie brought her rifle up and looked back out through the scope, watching every one of Andrea's steps.

"Anyone with her?"

"I don't see anybody… she looks alone." Maggie and Harli turned their heads when they heard the main block door open and members of their group rushed out.

In tight formation, Rick, Daryl, Merle, Michonne, and eventually Beth all ran out with their rifles brought up in front of them. Merle jumped to a truck in front of Rick and quickly looked around for any sign of hostility, "Clear!"

Harli and Maggie raised their rifles towards Andrea as she moved faster towards the gates, Walkers taking notice to her scent and beginning to follow her. Rick ran towards the gate, "Are you alone!?"

"Open the gate!" She called and Rick pressed his back up against the gate, shouting at her again,

"Are you alone!?"

"Rick!" Andrea shouted back and Daryl stopped next to the lock and chain, Rick tossing him the keys. Harli and Maggie moved out from behind their hiding spots and quickly moved into formation next to Michonne. Daryl tore open the gate and Andrea ridded of her Walker, hastily stepping in through the gates before the Walkers had a chance to claim her.

"Hands up! Turn around!" Rick shoved Andrea up against the gate and began to pat her down, making sure she had no more weapons on her other than her hatchet. Daryl walked up and pointed his crossbow at the back of Andrea's head, waiting for Rick to get done. Andrea gasped in disbelief at Rick's harsh treatment and screamed when a Walker slammed up against the gate, gnawing at her. Rick shoved her on her knees,

"Get down on the floor!" Andrea threw her hands up in the air and Merle and Daryl turned around, keeping watch for any signs of Woodburian imposters who might want to crash the party. Harli lowered her rifle and watched as Rick roughly treated Andrea like a criminal. He yanked her bag over her head and tossed it towards Harli, turning his attention back to Andrea. Harli watched it slide to a stop by her feet and she reached down, grabbing it and tossing the strap over her shoulder.

"Welcome back… get up." Rick grabbed Andrea's arm and hauled her to her feet, pulling her along towards the inside of the cellblock.

One after another the group members followed suit after Rick and burrowed themselves back into the safety of the block. They all flooded in around the tables and watched as Merle shut the door behind Andrea. Harli observed her face turn from shock to sheer happiness as she saw her old group members gather about in the small auditorium. Andrea walked down the stairs and embraced Carol into a tight hug and Harli watched as Daryl took a seat on the table next to her.

"Hershel… my god!" Andrea took notice to Hershel's condition and Hershel's mouth drew into a thin line under his heavy mustache. Andrea took another look around at the group and stepped forward, "I can't believe this… where's Shane?"

_Dead_. The word floated through Harli's mind as she remembered when Daryl told her what Rick had done. No one said a word to Andrea and she knew the truth of what had happened. She looked back at Rick,

"And Lori?"

_Dead_ _too._ Again, not a word was spoken and silence condoled their dead friends who finally rested in piece. Hershel broke the unwelcomed silence with news of the baby,

"She had a girl. Lori didn't survive."

"Neither did T-Dog…" Carol expressed grimly and Andrea choked out to them apologetically,

"I'm so sorry…" Andrea took one good look at Carl, their child soldier, and the solemn expression that bore back at her on his face. Andrea shook her head, "Carl…" Carl only stared up at her from under his hat and took a step back as she approached, Andrea stopping dead in her tracks. Biting back her tongue, she looked back to Rick,

"Rick I-" As she stepped towards him, Rick took a few steps back and avoided her gaze, the clear anguish of fatigue and loss plaguing his face. Andrea took a deep breath and looked around the prison, "You all live here?"

"Here in this cell block." Glenn answered her awaited question and she looked back at him and pointed towards the cellblock,

"There? Well… can I go in?"

"I won't allow that." Rick immediately stepped in front of Andrea defensively as she made way towards the cellblock. Andrea stopped and narrowed her eyes at him questioningly,

"I'm not an enemy, Rick."

"We don't know that for sure." Harli spoke for the first time and Andrea looked over her shoulder at her, Andrea's lips parting in slight shock upon seeing the bruised devastation laid out across Harli's face and neck. Rick intervened before Andrea started asking Harli unwanted questions,

"We had that feel in the courtyard... until your boyfriend tore down the fence with a truck and shot us up."

"He said you fired first?"

"Well he's lying…" Rick said plainly and his blue eyes stared into Andrea, not knowing whether or not to make her out as a friend or foe. Andrea only stared at him confusingly, not knowing what to say or do,

"He killed an inmate that survived in here." Hershel let out a sigh at the memory of Axel,

"And we liked him… he was one of us." Daryl said as Andrea brought her hand to her mouth, obviously not believing what she was hearing. Andrea shook her head,

"I didn't know anything about that… as soon as I found out I came. I didn't even know you were in Woodbury until after the shootout!"

"That was days ago."

"I told you I came as soon as I could…" Andrea quickly replied to Glenn and stared back and forth from him and Maggie. Harli heard a shift behind her and saw that Michonne leaned on the fenced cabinets next to her; Harli eyeballing her katana swinging from her shoulder. Andrea angrily whipped around to face Michonne, "What have you told them!?"

"Nothing…"

"I don't get it… I left Atlanta with you people and now I'm the odd man out!?" Andrea began to feel cornered as she lashed out against the group. Glenn quickly intervened,

"He almost killed Michonne; and he would've killed me, Maggie, and Harli-"

"With his finger on the trigger!" Andrea pointed at Merle and tried to shift the conversation to him. "Isn't he the one who kidnapped you!? Who beat you!?" Merle only tilted his head at Andrea and she only sighed and looked around at everyone once again, "I cannot excuse or explain what Philip has done… but I am here trying to bring us together… we have to work this out!"

"There's nothing to work out! We're gonna kill him… I don't know how or when… but we will." Rick marched towards her with deadly determination and Andrea inched towards him as well,

"We can settle this. There is room at Woodbury for all of you!" Merle couldn't help but scoff and laugh, Andrea looking up at him questioningly,

"You know better than that…"

"What makes you think this man wants to negotiate? Did he say that?" Hershel asked and Andrea looked to him, shaking her head,

"No."

"Then why did you come here?" Rick asked gruffly with his hands on his hips. Andrea sighed and glanced over at him,

"Because he's gearing up for war. The people are terrified; they see you as killers! They're training to attack."

"I'll tell you what…" All eyes were on Daryl and he looked at Andrea with a dagger-like glare, gripping the strap of his crossbow tightly. "Next time you see _'Philip'_… you tell him imma take his other eye."

"We've taken too much shit for too long. If he wants a war, he's got one…" Glenn growled at her and Andrea looked around at everyone's cold demeanors, not believing what her group had become. Andrea looked to Rick for help,

"Rick… if you don't sit down and talk this out, I don't know what's gonna happen. He has a _whole_ town… look at you all, you've lost so much already. You can't stand alone anymore." Rick quickly stepped in front of her with one offer and one offer only,

"You wanna make this right? Get us inside."

"No-"

"Then we got nothin' to talk about." Rick brushed past her and Andrea whipped around,

"There are innocent people!" Rick ignored her and disappeared into the cellblock, Andrea turning around and staring at everyone.

No one had any words to say and Andrea dipped her head in defeat. She rubbed her head and sighed, pressing her hands into her face and not knowing what else to do to stop the insanity. Harli took a few steps towards her and Andrea looked up surprisingly to see Harli making way. The two never liked each other and even had gotten into a brawl back at the farm, but Harli felt sympathy for Andrea. She didn't want to see bloodshed. Harli rested a hand on Andrea's shoulder and she stared back at Harli questioningly, "You can't mend what's already been broken."

**.:=:.**

Andrea left.

Harli could tell her decision to go back to Woodbury was a tough one and she was torn between the two worlds. But alas, she chose Woodbury. Andrea had a deep connection to that place; a place where people needed her more. Harli didn't know Michonne much and neither did anyone else, but Harli could see that Michonne was hurt that Andrea chose Woodbury over her yet again. Rick made sure to give her an old corrections officer car, a knife, and a pistol just in case she had run across any trouble. Andrea thanked him, the gate was opened, and she was off to try and mend the broken fences between the two angry neighbors: Rick and The Governor.

Night soon descended upon the prison with a bright full moon above them to shine its light on the broken society. Not a whole lot of words were said between anyone in the group. No one really had anything else to say. The decision was made to stand tall and defend their new loved home; whether their decision was a life saver or the signature on their death warrant. They ran for eight months straight during the winter and spring; they were tired of moving from place to place.

Harli walked slowly down the fence line of the gates in the courtyard, finally managing to put her full weight on her wounded leg. Carl passed her slowly and walked the opposite way, keeping his eyes open in the same manner. Harli's rifle rested lazily in her fingers as she marched like the soldier she now was, keeping an eye on the fence line in the yard below them. An assault could happen again at any time and Harli was prepared for it; maybe mentally, but not quite physically yet.

She watched the Walkers staggering after her on the other side of the fences. Their decayed fingers latched onto the fence and pulled them along as they desperately wanted to feel her flesh in their mouths. Back and forth, they followed her and Carl for hours; some joining in and some leaving from the boredom of knowing they couldn't catch Harli nor Carl.

A soft, warm breeze caught Harli's skin and it made her shudder. She stopped and stared up at the heavy moon floating above them in the deep blue sky. Couldn't they just have one day, one break from all this?

Harli worried the most about Rick.

"Hey Harli?" Harli turned at the sound of Carl's soft voice and she saw him staring up at the moon as well. Carl finally looked at her from under his hat, "You think we're gonna be able to survive this?"

"The Governor?" Carl nodded at her question and Harli sighed, putting on a small smile and slapping her hand on his shoulder, shaking him a bit. "Of course. We haven't gotten taken down yet; what makes you think some asshole's gonna be able to do it now?"

Carl looked down at the ground and Harli felt slightly defeated. His head rolled back up straight on his shoulders and his blue eyes matched his fathers, "Do you think my dad's gonna be able to snap out of it?"

"Of course. He always comes around when we need him the most. I'm gonna do my best to try and help him, too."

"How can you do that when you can't even help yourself?" Carl asked and Harli's breath halted in her throat as her hand slid off his shoulder. Carl stared at her questioningly while awaiting an answer and Harli closed her eyes, knowing that Carl was incredibly right. Harli was slowly overcoming her ordeal and getting back to her normal self. She had to do that before she could even attempt to try and help anyone else.

"I know something bad happened to you at Woodbury. I mean, you have bruises all over the place and when you showed up a few days ago… I really thought you were gonna die. You don't have to tell me what happened and I don't think I ever want to know. But I think you should take into consideration that the people around you are just trying to help. We all love you and want what's best for you. We're a family and it will _always_ be that way; whether we're all dead or not."

Harli was completely taken away by Carl's very wise, adult words. He was so grown up from the helpless little kid she met over a year ago. Harli couldn't help but smile at Carl; he reminded her so much of his father. Harli knelt down on one knee and yanked him into a tight hug, his arms wrapping around her as soon as she did. She loved Carl like a little brother and Harli was like the big sister Carl never had. The two were close and an inseparable team; sticking together mostly back in the winter days. They learned with each other like two kids in school: Rick being Carl's teacher and Daryl being Harli's. Harli could feel that he had been waiting to be hugged and comforted for a while and Harli was glad she could be his release. With Lori being gone and Rick on constant hiatus, Harli was one of the last people Carl could turn to.

"Thanks Carl…" Harli pulled back and lifted his hat, placing a kiss on his forehead and returning his hat back to its normal spot on his dirty head.


	35. Chapter 35

"If anything happens, get everyone locked up in the cellblock." Rick tossed a bag in the back of the Hyundai and then looked back to Daryl, "We should be back before dark."

"Alright." Daryl nodded and Rick shut the back door to the SUV. Rick sighed and looked past Daryl to Merle, who stood next to the gate with a gun in his hand,

"And keep a close eye on your brother..." Daryl scoffed in his mind but with another quick nod towards Rick, he reassured his leader that everything would be alright.

Rick motioned for Carl and the two stepped into the SUV, Michonne starting the engine and inching towards the gate. Merle pulled the gate open and Walkers stumbled to get at the moving SUV, Michonne flooring it and speeding towards the broken down gates below the prison. Daryl helped Merle shut the gate and he clipped the padlock shut in the links of the chain. Walkers slammed up against the gate and snarled at the brothers greedily, Merle and Daryl only turning their backs on the undead and walking towards the opening to the cell block.

"Oh, what the hell is this!?" Merle's voice turned sour, causing Daryl to look over at him. Merle stopped and his blue eyes mimicked Daryl's as he pointed his gun, "Is this how you treat my baby? I should kick your ass..."

Daryl looked past Merle and saw what he was getting all revved up about. There laid the motorcycle, lying on its side pitifully on the concrete. Daryl quickly walked past Merle and Merle followed after him. Daryl grabbed one of the ape-hanger handle bars and Merle grabbed the bar on the back of the seat; the brothers combining their strengths and lifting the bike without any effort. The kickstand was already down and Daryl rested it on the peg, staring at the scratched up damage on the gas tank. His heart thumped fast in his chest,

"God damn... after all the work I put into this babe you go and let it fall on its side."

"Wasn't me. Must've happened while we were gone." Daryl looked back to Merle. His older brother's face turned quickly into a bitter scowl,

"Bet it was that cock-sucker that's leanin' in on your girl." Merle huffed and looked down at his bike, "I'd like to rip out that boys intestines and strangle him with 'em."

"Not unless I get the chance to first." Daryl growled and wheeled around on his heel, trudging towards the cell block. He tore open the door and left it open for Merle behind him, taking a step down the stairs and looking around for the former detective. His eyes spotted Harli sitting at one of the tables and eating a small bowl of oatmeal; she must have just woken up from a long night of keeping watch. His face softened at the sight of the bruises on her body slowly fading away. Some of them he couldn't even see anymore.

"Harli." Her face looked up to see him and he stopped on the other side of the table, his eyes hard, "Where's Greg? I wanna give him a piece of my mind and my boot in his ass."

"He's not outside?" She asked and looked around the cellblock, not seeing her friend's familiar face. Her green eyes turned back to Daryl, "Why do you wanna "_put a boot in his ass_"?"

"Found my motorcycle lying on its side. I know it was that prick." He watched Harli's eyes lower and avoid his gaze, looking back down and spinning her spoon around in the sticky oatmeal,

"I haven't seen him since yesterday..." She mumbled and Daryl narrowed his eyes, looking back up and around the cell block.

"Anyone seen Greg?" He asked to his numerous group members and they all looked up from their tasks to him. A few exchanged glances with each other but no one offered solace,

"Haven't seen him since yesterday afternoon."

"Yeah, me neither." Glenn said after Maggie, looking at Daryl. Carol looked over at Daryl,

"You sure he's not standing watch?"

"Me and Merle were just out there. He ain't standin' watch." Daryl shook his head and then looked back to Merle, seeing the look in his eyes. Daryl stepped up the stairs and stood close to Merle,

"Maybe he finally left?" Merle suggested and tilted his head. Daryl shook his head,

"I dunno bout that. We gotta keep an eye out."

"You think he's dangerous?" Merle asked and Daryl nodded,

"You tell me." Daryl stared at the bruise on his brother's face and Merle quickly noted the day they returned to the prison. Merle rubbed his cheek where Greg's fist had come in contact,

"Guess you're right there, brother. We can't go chasin' our tails though; what do we do?"

"Stay put for now. Can't say for sure if he left or not so just keep an eye out for him."

"Oh, you can count on that." Merle said grudgingly, still annoyed about his motorcycle.

Harli lifted herself from her position and put the empty bowl on a table, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She turned towards the cellblock and walked into the armory cell, grabbing a rifle and tossing it over her shoulder. With an extra magazine tucked safely in the back pocket of her shorts, she spun around the side of the cellblock and walked towards the exit. Harli noticed Daryl was missing with the scene, along with Glenn and Maggie. Harli walked to the stairs to leave the cellblock and Merle stopped her,

"And where do you think you're goin'?" Harli looked to Merle,

"Going outside to stand watch and do some reinforcements."

"Sure that's a good idea?" Merle asked and Harli raised an eyebrow, grabbing the handle of the door,

"Who are you? My mom?" She asked sarcastically before the loud squeal of the door echoed through the cellblock.

Harli's eyes squinted from the sun as she moved though the steel corridor out into the fresh air. Her eyes fell on the numerous Walkers crowding around the front gates and upon seeing her, their activity heightened. Harli moved over towards the gates keeping the adjacent guard tower secured. She could see that the Woodbury thug's body was still lying on the welded walkway above. Her hand grabbed the chain wrapped around the fencing and she tugged at it, but it was locked.

"Lookin' for these?" She heard a jingle and turned around to see Merle brandishing the extra ring of prison keys. Harli turned fully around to face him when he stopped next to her, "Looks like you're gonna need some help with that body. What do you plan on doin' once you get over there?"

"We can use that guard tower to our advantage. I'm gonna reinforce the walkway with some pallets..." Harli looked over her shoulder and Merle walked past her towards the gate. He flipped the keys around in his fingers and shoved a smaller key into the padlock, opening it and yanking the chain off. It clang to the concrete ground and Merle pulled open the gate, elevating his hand towards the guard tower,

"Ladies first." He said with smile and Harli rolled her eyes, walking past him.

She turned the doorknob to the guard tower and pulled the squeaking door open while sliding out her pistol. Harli ascended the dark stairs slowly, using her keen ears to try and detect hostile movement; particularly Walker. The only movement she heard was Merle moving up the stairs behind her and before she knew it, she was at the top. Pushing the door open, she saw the dusty table in the middle of the room and the bullet holes in the glass of the small confinement. Harli walked through the open door and stared at the body lying on the walkway. Dry blood cased the steel and his skin was pale in his demise; the smell wafting off his body began to become unbearable as Harli got closer. She stared at her well-aimed bullet hole in his face, pressing the back of her hand against her mouth and taking a step back,

"Oh man... he sure is a ripe one there." Merle leaned on the doorway and put his hand against his mouth as well, not being able to stand the stench. Harli looked at him,

"The longer we wait the more he's gonna smell... let's just get this over with already." She said and Merle nodded, pushing off the doorway and leaning down next to the body.

"Poor Charlie... good guy he was."

"You knew him?" Harli tilted her head as she watched him curiously, Merle's hand moving about the man's body, rummaging around for supplies.

"Yeah... one of The Governor's top gunmen. But he ain't anymore, now is he?" He handed her the man's rifle and she took it, walking inside and setting it on the table. A couple boxes of ammunition came from a large pocket in the man's vest and Merle harvested a large knife and pistol from his belt.

"Let's get him down the stairs." Harli returned through the doorway and Merle lifted himself to his feet. Merle shoved his boot against the man and pushed hard, the body sliding from the edge of the walkway. With one last heave from Merle's boot, the body rolled off the side of the railing and plummeted to the ground. Harli jumped at the grotesque sound of his bones smashing against the concrete below them.

"Well... now we know the poor bastard can't fly." Merle cocked half a smirk as he leaned over the railing, staring at the mutilated body. He looked back to Harli and was a bit surprised she didn't protest against his actions,

"That's one way down I guess..." Harli rubbed her head and turned around; grabbing the assault rifle they scavenged off the Woodburian and heading down the stairs.

Once outside, Harli noticed the blood splatter from the man's head all over the concrete. The Walkers began to all crowd around hers and Merle's particular area. They snarled and growled upon smelling the semi-fresh blood of the corpse, becoming feverish and ravenous.

"Come on Apple-Eyes... we're wastin' the day away." Merle grabbed one of the body's boots and Harli grabbed the other. With a large hoist, they gained momentum and pulled the body along the pathway leading to the outer gates of the prison. The man was heavy and even with Merle's strength along with hers they were having a hard time dragging him.

"God damn... fuckin' fatass!" Merle growled through clenched teeth while trying to gain a better grip on the boot. Harli heaved one last time and pulled him another few feet by herself, dropping the foot and panting. Merle turned around and narrowed his eyes at the broken chain barely holding the gate together on the far-end. He pulled the broken chain off and dropped it to the ground, noticing a few Walkers spotting them. He turned to see Harli staring out at them,

"I'll drag him out if you cover me."

"Sounds about good." Merle agreed and moved outside the gate. Harli looped her arms around his legs and tugged tightly, the boots hooking under her arm pits. With a deep breath, her legs tightened and she pulled at his body with all her strength. She looked over her shoulder to see Merle shoving the blade on his stump through the face of a Walker, turning and working on another. Harli hurried as she saw more Walkers approaching, not wanting to leave Merle to face them by himself.

"Merle... come on!" Harli breathed and stood by the gate, seeing him looking over his shoulder at her. He took a quick glance back at the Walkers moving out of the trees and back tracked, turning around and jogging towards her. She pushed the gate shut and wrapped the chain around their foundations, clamping the padlock closed. Harli stepped back as the Walkers slammed up against gate, biting at the welded wire in attempts to get at them.

Merle and Harli looked at each other and Merle chuckled under his breath, walking back towards the guard tower. Harli moved after him and briefly looked over her shoulder at the Walkers who continued to ignore the Woodburian's body.

**.:=:.**

Daryl stepped out of the cellblock and looked around for his brother and Harli. It made him a bit uneasy that Harli and Merle were together, alone. He trusted his brother, but Merle was still Merle. There was no telling what he would and could do. As Daryl looked around the courtyard, he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye, seeing Merle disappearing behind the side of the wall. Daryl then saw Harli standing inside the fence next to the guard tower, placing a large pallet of metal against the fence line. Daryl narrowed his eyes curiously and walked towards her.

Harli stepped back and wiped her sweaty forehead, ignoring the Walkers that were leaned up against the gate hungrily. She turned her head over her shoulder to see if Merle was returning with a reinforced pallet but her face softened when she saw Daryl trudging towards her. His arm swung at his side and his other hand hooked on the strap of his crossbow in the notorious Dixon strut. Harli turned fully to face him as he slowed to a stop,

"What're ya'll doin'?" He asked and Harli looked back, pointing at the makeshift reinforcements she and Merle built,

"Putting up some protection all the way up to the guard tower. We got rid of the body up there, drug it out the other side of the gate, and we're gonna secure the guard tower last."

"You asked Merle to help?" Daryl asked a bit doubtful and Harli shook her head,

"No... he volunteered." She watched Daryl look over his shoulder skeptically to see Merle carrying a pallet over towards them. Harli admired his protective side and she couldn't help but smile, "Don't worry about him... I'm keeping him busy for you so he doesn't pester the others. He's not bothering me at all. He's actually being pretty helpful, believe it or not."

Merle finally set down the pallet and the sun beat down on his gleaming, sweaty skin as he turned towards Harli and his little brother. With a smile, he leaned on the non-infested fencing across from them, "Damn this sun... makin' it a lot harder to work round here. Your girl here's been workin' me like a dog."

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing." Harli put her hands on her hips and Daryl looked over at her,

"Puttin' more attention towards these renovations than watchin' your backs. Don't forget about that." Daryl looked back and forth from Harli to his brother. He shook his head, "Just don't want anything to happen to ya'll..."

"Don't worry about us, brother. We've proved plenty we can take care of ourselves." Merle spoke for both he and Harli. Daryl reflected quickly on the situations they've both been put in and how they managed to get out. He knew Merle was right in some sense; but that wasn't going to stop a well-aimed bullet to the head.

"I guess let's just get this shit done while we can. I've finished what me, Glenn, and Maggie could on the inside; gettin' this guard tower secure for now should be top priority."

**.:=:.**

Greg walked through a dark, druid corridor back towards cellblock C, his steps quick and erratic. He felt his pistol thumping against his thigh, begging so much to be used that his shaky fingers threatened to hold it. As he turned a corner, he finally found the light through the barred cellblock door and took a slower approach towards the door. Yanking the jingling keys from the belt loop of his pants, he unlocked to door and walked through quietly, ignoring the warning squeals echoing through the block. His eyes immediately looked for Harli's face, but he didn't see her or the Dixon's. Locking the door behind him, he made a straight beeline past the rooming cells, Maggie and Beth spotting him from Beth's cell, looking out at him curiously.

Greg stopped at the doorway and looked in, seeing Glenn checking guns and Hershel sitting at a table, checking the ammo. Greg straightened his posture and his deep southern accent echoed off the walls, "Where's everyone else?"

Glenn and Hershel looked up to see him standing in the doorway and then quickly exchanged glances with each other. Glenn put the rifle down in his hands and leaned on the table, "Rick, Michonne, and Carl all went out on a run and Merle, Daryl, and Harli are outside keeping watch and reinforcing the gates."

"Where have you been?" Hershel asked while narrowing his eyes and Greg looked to him, shaking his head,

"Tryin' to get back to the Warden's office to get the rest of my guns. The place is overrun." He lied. Glenn and Hershel seemed to believe him, "Can I talk to all you in here? It'll only take a minute."

"What about?" Glenn asked and Greg's brown eyes flicked over to him,

"Whether or not you feel comfortable with me around. I want all your opinions and when I'm done in here, I'll go apologize to Merle and Daryl for the way I acted the other day. I was way out of line." He explained and Glenn stared over at Hershel skeptically. Hershel gave a tedious nod and stood up on his crutches, following Glenn into the cellblock. Maggie and Beth waited patiently as Hershel and Glenn stood next to them. Glenn crossed his arms and looked at Greg,

"So what did you want to know?" Greg slipped out of the cellblock and slammed the door shut. Glenn ran forward, hearing him locking the door and stepping back, "What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

"Don't worry... I'm not goin' to kill any of _you. _Before you know it I'll be long gone from here along with Harli. She doesn't deserve to be in a place like this with people like you."

"Don't you dare!" Maggie shouted and Glenn yanked at the door, trying desperately to get the door open,

"Does anyone have the keys!?" Glenn shouted hastily and everyone looked to another for an answer. Hershel let out a disappointed sigh,

"Daryl has them..."

**.:=:.**

Daryl rested a pallet at the doorway of the guard tower and Merle stepped out, the two panting from sun exhaustion. Merle looked up at the sky and rested his back against the concrete base of the tower, wiping his hand on his forehead. Daryl rested his hands on his hips and looked over to see Harli setting a wooden pallet down next to him,

"This sun is killin' me..." Merle grumbled and looked back at his brother, Daryl flicking his head towards the wooden pallets,

"Just think, few more of these things and we can go inside to take a rest."

"We should need one more... I'll go grab it. You guys can take a quick rest." Harli volunteered and Daryl looked at her,

"You sure? Lookin' pretty doused yourself."

"Yeah... you guys can carry them up the stairs." She smiled with a slight laugh and turned around, walking away from them and turning the fenced corner. Merle smiled and looked to Daryl,

"Got yourself quite a peach there." Merle tilted his head back to where it rested on the wall behind him. Daryl's eyes shifted over to Merle, seeing the smug smirk on his face,

"Shut up."

"What? Just sayin'... strong little girl she is. Probably one of the only ones I like outta your group. She's been all but nice to me." Daryl looked back to where Harli disappeared,

"Only 'cause you're my brother." He mumbled more to himself than Merle.

Harli searched around the dumpster for any more wooden pallets to secure the top of the tower. They had used almost all of them up and only the few that were left were having fun hiding themselves from Harli's view. With a quick run through her hair, her hand slapped down against her thigh and she let out an annoyed sigh. She took a look behind the dumpster and found an older, run-down pallet with a few broken strips. Not seeing any other ones around, she grabbed it and pulled it out into the sunlight. It was better than nothing.

As she turned, she noticed a figure out of the corner of her eye, stopping to see who it was. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of Greg standing before her. His face was solemn as he stood, hand hovering over his gun, and his eyes chaotic and muddled. "Greg? Where have you been?" She asked and he only took a few steps towards her,

"Thinking... a lot."

"About?"

"How the hell I'm gonna convince you to leave with me." Greg stopped a few feet from her and stared into her green eyes. Harli found herself drawn in by his smoldering brown irises; something in her clicked and she knew there was something wrong.

"I told you... I'm not going anywhere." Harli said firmly, standing her ground. Greg couldn't help but smile to himself,

"I figured." Harli felt his rough hand around her throat as he slammed her up against the wall. Completely taken off guard, she tried to muscle out a cry for help but all she could do was grab onto his wrist to try and pry off his grip. "You're comin' with me whether you like it or not."

"Greg, stop! I can't breathe!" She managed to choke out. Greg leaned in towards her and Harli moved her head to the side, feeling his breath on her face.

"Don't fight... it'll only make things worse." He suggested and Harli removed her hands from his wrist and pressed them against his chest. Harli gritted her teeth,

"They're gonna kill you! I don't want that to happen, now stop it!" She hissed through her teeth and felt the grip on her neck tighten. With one last deep breath, she held it in her throat knowing that if she let it out she wouldn't be able to reclaim it.

Greg suddenly let out a soft grunt of pain, Harli gasping when his hand loosened and she heard the familiar sound of an arrow being shot. Looking over, she spotted a bloody bolt head staring her in the face. Greg looked down to see the crossbow bolt sticking out from his shoulder and growled to himself, grabbing the end of it and ripping it out of his flesh. Harli was shocked to see not one glint of pain sauntered off his face and he only tossed the crossbow bolt to the ground carelessly. He shoved Harli off the wall and yanked out his pistol, slamming his finger on the trigger and letting a bullet loose.

Daryl jumped to the side at the last possible second, shoving the nose of his crossbow to the ground to reload it.

Harli knew Greg was deadly accurate with his pistol and it would only take a split second for him to take quick aim and fire. She took her chance and ran forward, grabbing his arm just as he pulled the trigger. The bullet ricocheted off the ground and into a nearby wall, Greg wheeling around and shoving his fist into Harli's stomach. All breath escaped her lips and she fell to the ground, clutching her stomach and gasping for more air. Her vision blurred slightly and her stomach clenched into a million knots, the sheer force of his fist nearly knocking her unconscious.

Greg ran forward and lunged at Daryl, knocking the crossbow from his hands just as he raised it to fire. Daryl felt his back slam against the hard concrete and Greg's heavy weight jump on him. He opened his blue eyes just in time to see Greg's fist plummeting towards him and ramming itself into his cheek. Daryl's senses jarred for a mere moment and he felt the surging pain of the blow fluctuating through his skull. Seeing Harli out of the corner of his eye trying to recover from his fist, he gritted his teeth and his fingers latched onto his shirt. Daryl lifted himself and rammed his forehead into Greg's; Greg's head snapped back towards the sky and Daryl shoved his boot into Greg's stomach, his body crashing to the concrete.

Daryl jumped up and slid his knife from its sheath, using nothing but brute force in taking Greg to the ground. Daryl gritted his teeth as he came on top, bearing all his weight down on Greg's chest and beginning to suffocate him. He gripped the knife tightly in both his hands and shoved it towards Greg's heart, Greg stopping him and grabbing his hands.

"I'm going to fuckin' kill you!" Daryl hissed through his teeth and his muscles clenched tightly. He pressed all his weight into the knife and slowly against Greg's strength, the knife moved quickly towards him. Greg watched as the long knife plunged into the bolt wound and this time, he could feel the burning pain. Daryl smirked upon hearing his agonizing shout; but was disappointed when Greg managed to direct the knife's trajectory just above his heart.

"Hey... come on, don't pass out on me now!" Harli could hear Merle's voice in her ears and her eyes were steadying back to clearness. She finally managed to see Merle's face clearly and he grabbed her arm to help her to her feet,

"Where's Daryl!?" Harli gasped and her stomach clenched tightly as she got to her feet. Merle steadied her and looked back to Daryl, smirking at the sight of his brother coming out on top.

His smiled faltered and he pulled out his pistol once he saw Greg gain the upper hand. Greg threw a heavy fist against Daryl's hard cheek, Daryl's head snapping to the side and his heavy body crashing to the ground. Greg leaned up and tore Daryl's knife from his chest, grabbing a handful of Daryl's shirt and pulling him on his back. He reached the knife over his head and stared down into Daryl's eyes, blood thirst taking him over,

"Greg! _Stop_!" Harli's voice shouted loudly, Greg halting his attack and looking over at her.

He stared at her pistol pointing between his eyes, Merle standing next to her with his own pistol drawn. Blood seeped from his deep shoulder wound and tickled from numerous cuts on his bruising face. His fingers continued to cling onto a handful of Daryl's shirt and he yanked a wobbly Daryl to his feet, hearing his shirt rip under the pressure. Greg wrapped his arm tightly around Daryl's neck and pressed his own knife up against his throat. He used Daryl as a human shield and lifted his own pistol, raising it at Harli,

"Make a move and I'll put a bullet in her eye." Greg mumbled in Daryl's ear and Daryl looked back to Harli, seeing her and Merle slowly stepping towards them, "Who do you want to go first? Your brother?" Greg laughed under his breath and pointed his gun at Merle. Daryl watched helplessly and his heart sank when Greg pulled the trigger.

"_No!"_ The gunshot bellowed through Daryl's ears and his eyes watched as Merle fell to the ground. Daryl thrashed and fought against Greg's tough grip only to feel his own sharp knife press into his neck. Daryl felt the knife slice into his flesh and the annoying stinging pain it carried along with it.

"Merle!" Harli looked over and Greg stopped her in her tracks,

"Don't move Harli!" Greg shouted while pointing the gun at her, Harli looking back at him through her sights. Her eyes were growing frantic at the situation, "Now's your last chance... come with me or you can watch him bleed out."

"Greg... this isn't like you! I can help you... just let me, please!" Harli shook her head and the plea slipped off her lips heavily. She stared into Daryl's blue eyes, trying to ask for some type of help. But she knew it was inevitable; she was solely on her own. With his own knife to his throat, and as much as he wanted to, there was nothing he could do.

"You're signing your own death warrant here, Harli. They're not going to be able to protect you."

"I can't leave!"

"Your weakness will be the end of you!" Greg pressed the knife tighter into Daryl's throat and Harli heard Daryl grunt from the pain. Once she saw the look in Greg's eyes it was final.

Harli felt her pistol kick back in her hands and she held her breath, watching both Greg and Daryl fall to the ground. Her hands shook from the adrenaline coursing through her body and she looked down at Merle, seeing him stir. Both the Dixon brothers were down and she didn't know which one to go to first. A shuffle sounded in front of her and she looked back to see Daryl scrambling away from Greg's body. Daryl looked from the bullet hole in Greg's face to Harli, seeing the shaken look in her eyes.

Daryl's eyes soon found Merle as his older brother lifted himself from his back. Merle held his neck and blood trickled from behind his fingertips. Daryl let out a momentary sigh of relief, getting to his feet. He huffed and watched as Harli lowered her gun, her hand shaking under the guns grip. Dropping her pistol, Harli's eyes glazed past Daryl and she walked straight for the cellblock door. Daryl took a much needed breath and fixed his torn shirt on his chest, trying to hide the scars that glared out from between the fabric. Merle shakily got to his feet and picked up his and Harli's pistols, Daryl finally getting to see the small amount of damage done by Greg's bullet.

"You alright?" Daryl asked as Merle stopped on the other side of Greg, staring down at him. Merle swallowed a hard lump of air down his throat with a nod,

"Bullet just grazed me..." He mumbled and then looked up at Daryl. Daryl's eyes found Merle's from Greg's body, "How you holdin' up? Boy sure got a few good shots in on your face." Merle observed the bruising already taking effect of Daryl's dirty face.

"Yeah... just fine." Daryl mumbled and looked back down at the bullet hole in Greg's face. He leaned down and pried his knife from Greg's dead fingers, wiping the blood off on his pant leg to slide it back into the sheath. He rubbed his hand on the shallow knife wound under his jaw, bringing his fingers to eye length to see the bloody damage.

Barely any blood at all.

**.:=:.**

The brooding evening claimed the prison in an early sunset and the burning colors of the horizon flamed across the sky. With a new shirt on, Daryl walked outside with his crossbow strapped loyally to his back, staring out as he saw a pair of headlights barreling towards the prison. With a quick whistle, he alerted Merle and Glenn and they instantly ran towards the gate as Rick broke through the front. Merle unlocked it and stepped out of the way as Glenn yanked it open. As soon as the Hyundai made it across allied lines, Glenn pushed the gate shut; only one greedy Walker casualty dying by Merle's blade. Michonne stepped out of the driver's seat, Rick and Carl out of the same passenger's side, all walking to the back of the SUV to greet the Glenn and the Dixon brothers. With a pull of the latch, Rick opened the back of the Hyundai, Glenn, Merle, and Daryl all standing in awe at the armory they had brought back.

Guns upon guns stuffed in numerous bags, along with other much needed supplies.

"Woah..." Glenn breathed while staring at a large bag handed to him by Rick. Glenn walked forward and grabbed another few smaller bags of supplies, rushing into the cellblock giddily. Michonne, Carl, and Merle all gathered the bags like they had just gotten back from a grocery store and pursued after Glenn.

Rick shouldered the last couple bags and closed the back door, looking to Daryl, "Anything happen while I was gone?" He asked and Daryl lowered his eyes,

"Greg."

"What about him?" Rick narrowed his eyes suspiciously and Daryl moved his eyes back up to Rick's,

"He's dead."

"What? How?" Rick's face hardened at the thought of The Governor attacking the prison in his absence. Daryl let out a sigh,

"Attacked Harli while we were tryin' to do some reinforcements... I got in a scuffle with him and he managed to put a knife to my throat; used me like a human shield. He shot Merle, threatened to slit my throat but Harli... she shot him in the head before anything else happened."

"Where's she now?" Rick asked worryingly and Daryl looked up at the guard tower, nodding towards it,

"Been keepin' watch up in that guard tower for quite some time." Rick followed his gaze and stared at the tower with narrowed eyes. His gaze slowly dropped back down to Daryl,

"You said Merle was shot?"

"The bullet only grazed his neck. Hershel gave him some stitches... the old bastard is hard to kill." Daryl couldn't help but crack a smile and laugh to himself, kicking a small rock on the ground. Rick nodded,

"Well... I'm glad everyone's alright to say the least. Thanks for holdin' down the fort."

"You don't have to thank me..." Daryl shook his head and Rick gave him a quick nod before brushing past him and retiring into the cellblock.

He looked back up at the guard tower and walked towards it, staring at the railing as he stopped at the door. Turning the knob, he yanked the door open and took to the dark stairs, following one foot at another careful not to trip over himself. As he felt he reached the top he pushed his hand in front of him to search for the exit door in the darkness. Daryl finally caught the handle in his palm and pushed the door open slowly, seeing the tiny illumination of a candle on the edge of the table claiming the middle of the small room. There stood Harli, staring out the only window that wasn't broken by bullet holes, keeping watch. She had changed into more comfortable clothing: the original deep grey sweats and a tight black long sleeved shirt. The collar was so wide it hung off her shoulders, the thin strips of a camisole clamping tightly over her collarbones. Her hair, tossed in a high ponytail, swiveled as she turned her head over her shoulder; the green in her eyes flickering along with the candlelight.

Daryl shut the door behind him and rested his crossbow next to the rifles on the wall, walking over in front of the table and leaning on it behind her. Her arms were crossed with one hand resting at the base of her neck as she stared at him. Daryl stared back at her, "Came to make sure you're alright."

"I'm fine..." She replied plainly and looked back out the dirty window, tilting her head down to look into the prison yard. Daryl chewed on the inside of his cheek and rubbed the back of his neck anxiously, trying to figure out what to say.

"Sorry you had to do that." He murmured and Harli shook her head,

"Don't be sorry. If I wouldn't have done it... you would have. It was something I couldn't avoid." Her eyes shifted up to the horizon stretching over the trees, "I thought I could've saved him. But he just didn't give me the chance. I guess it's true that you can't save anyone anymore."

"That's not true." Daryl's raspy voice replied and Harli couldn't help but smile slightly, turning halfway to look at him,

"Maybe not for the strong, but definitely the weak. I think I proved that today."

"How?"

"It was either him or you. What'd you expect me to do?" She asked rhetorically and Daryl looked down, fiddling with the edge of his flannel. Harli looked back out the window and sighed, "It had to be me; the one who ended it. After being cooped up one the other side of the prison by himself for over a year made him go crazy. Seeing me, a link to his past, must've sent him off the deep end. He wasn't built for this world."

Daryl stared at her back, remembering seeing Greg punch her in the stomach and send her to the ground. She didn't seem like she was hurting physically, but he couldn't be exactly sure about her emotional and mental state. He noticed Harli turn around to face him, stepping towards him and closing the gap, "How's your face?"

"I've had worse." Daryl's face throbbed lightly from the blows he had taken during his and Greg's fight. He flinched instinctively as he saw Harli's hand move towards his face, but felt her cool hand rest over the bruise on his cheek. Daryl let out a silent sigh of relief at her touch and felt her forehead rest on his shoulder. Her arms wrapped loosely around his stomach and her hands rested on the table behind him. Daryl put an arm around her waist and pressed her against him for comfort, closing his eyes and feeling her soft heartbeat on his chest.

Harli lifted her head and he opened his eyes, the two staring at each other for a few long moments. For the first time since they both could remember, their lips touched in a deep kiss and every little worry in their bodies had extinguished.


	36. Chapter 36

The cool air of Georgia wavered through Harli's air and the roaring vibrations of Daryl's motorcycle tickled her body. It felt so good being on the back of the bike for the first time in months. Every now and then, when Daryl revved the engine of the motorcycle, a shiver of nothing but sheer pleasure rolled up through her spine. When she was on the motorcycle with Daryl, she had no worries and she experienced brief freedom. It was the first time in days, since the Woodbury incident, that she felt somewhat like herself again. Even the incident with Greg the day before didn't bother her much. Harli didn't know why, but she accepted the fact that he was dead; dead by her hand. But it scared her even more that she was moving on from it so quickly.

She changed so much since escaping from Woodbury.

Harli's green eyes shifted from the blurry scenery to around her shoulder, seeing Rick and Hershel in the Hyundai close behind them. Her ponytail flapped in the turbulence, as well as the collar on her jacket, and her bangs tickled her face as she rolled her head back around to stare at the empty road ahead over Daryl's broad shoulder. Her hands glazed over the angel wings on his back and she pressed her forehead against the space in between his shoulders, letting out a deep breath. Closing her eyes and hearing nothing but the oddly soothing blare of the Triumph's engine, her mind drifted back to that morning before the four left the prison.

"_Before Andrea left, she came to talk to me privately about The Governor wanting to meet and talk this out. I gave her specific instructions on a neutral place out in the countryside we passed by on our way to Woodbury. I told her if he really wanted to talk this out... he meet me there at high noon today." Rick stood in the cellblock, staring at the weary eyes of his fellow survivors with hands on his hips._

"_Are you sure that's a good idea? Leaving us alone again? You remember what happened yesterday..." Carol stated meekly and looked over at Harli briefly, Harli ignoring her gaze. Rick nodded his head,_

"_The Governor isn't stupid... and even if it is a chance to kill me he won't be able to give it up. With him there, there's no way he'll try to attack." Rick reassured Carol and the rest of his group, "Just keep on watch. We've got plenty of guns now to compensate for our lack of manpower."_

"_Are you going alone?" Glenn asked the question everyone was thinking and Rick stared at him for a moment. Rick shook his head,_

"_No... I'm going to take Hershel and Daryl. They're all I'm gonna need." Rick walked forward towards the commons of cellblock, seeing the mass amount of arms spread out about the room. Daryl and Hershel quickly exchanged glances and Daryl brushed past Harli towards the stairs to the upper cells. Harli turned around through the doors and stepped after the broken king,_

"_Rick, can I talk to you?" He looked up from the rifle he was rigging ready for battle,_

"_About what?"_

"_I want to go, too." Harli said sternly, seeing his full attention brought down on her. He eyed the faded bruises on her face and neck,_

"_I don't think that's a very good idea... The Governor's gonna be there."_

"_So?"_

"_Can you handle seeing him, face to face, if it comes down to it?" He asked while narrowing his eyes. Harli stood tall and tried not to show her fear to him, knowing he would gauge it as her weakness. _

"_I can do it." Rick stared at her questioningly for a few moments and her own eyes narrowed at him, "I know I can. Running away from him won't help me at this point." Rick moved away from the table and stood only a couple feet from her,_

"_You say that now... but when you get there your entire outlook could change completely. Reliving your experiences... I don't want you to go through that all over again. Who knows what kind of damage it could lead to this time?" Harli knew that Rick was trying to scare her into staying behind at the prison not out of spite, but pure concern. He was right in some sense. Harli didn't know what would happen if he saw his face again; but it was a chance she was willing to take. With a gentle nod, words spilled off her lips encouragingly,_

"_I can do it, Rick. Give me a chance." Rick stood in a few moments of silence and then lifted his hand to scratch his head,_

"_You know Daryl ain't gonna be too crazy about the idea. You know how he can be..."_

"_I can be pretty persuasive."_

As Harli opened her eyes, she saw that a tunnel of trees began to cradle around them and the road harden with years of old age. She leaned back and felt something poke at her back softly, looking down to see the crossbow hitched tightly behind her. The bright green and white fletching of the arrows flickered in the wind and her eyes glazed over the sleek black finish of Daryl's new and improved crossbow. She remembered the excitement he held once Rick presented it to him the night before; he was like a giddy child.

The momentum of the bike slowed and Harli looked over Daryl's shoulder, once again, to see an old, run down mill standing in the approaching distance. Finally, they reached their destination and Daryl circled the bike around until it came to a stop. He killed engine and Harli was first to step off, pulling the AR-15 off her back and propping it against her shoulder. Hershel parked the Hyundai next to them and the passenger's door opened to let Rick out of the SUV. Daryl retrieved his crossbow from the straps of the motorcycle and exchanged eye contact with Harli.

"Be careful."

"No... you be careful." Harli replied plainly, the soft wind tossing her ponytail about behind her head. With a reassuring nod, Daryl turned around and led Rick through the giant, cylindrical gins that stood tall against the survivors.

As the two men disappeared, Harli turned around and walked towards the road, stopping and looking both ways as if waiting for someone to drive by.

Hershel stayed in the SUV, helping keep watch with Harli while Daryl helped Rick get safely to the meeting place. There were no Walkers in sight, from what they could see, and neither any enemy Woodburians. Although they could be hiding in the trees, Harli continued to stand in the open behind the SUV. She couldn't tell if she was scared or not; a wide range of emotions flooded her body and she didn't know what to feel. Her leg shook anxiously as her green eyes scanned her surroundings, the cold air stale and noiseless around her. It was oddly cool for, what she could assume, was a summer day. Clouds muddled the sky above her and she briefly looked up every now and then to make sure it wouldn't start raining.

_Psst!_

Harli turned her heard at the soft hiss to see Hershel staring out through the window frame. Curiously, Harli's boots stepped through the dirt on the ground and she stopped at the driver's side door. Hershel's bright blue eyes stared at her out from under his thick white brows, "Let's canvas the area real quick and regroup with Daryl. It's been long enough."

"Alright." Harli nodded and quickly moved around the front of the SUV, hearing the engine quietly start to life. She opened the passenger's side door and ducked under the crutches resting on the seat, placing her rifle down and closing the door. Hershel slowly pulled off the dirt turn off and onto the pavement, Harli rolling down her window and keeping a cautious hand on her rifle.

Hershel slowly drove around the entire area, the two keeping a very watchful eye out for any enemy presence, whether it was Walker or Woodburian. But it was oddly quiet for the area they were in, making Hershel and Harli a bit edgy. Finally, Hershel found the small, dirt alleyway leading into the heart of the large cotton factory. Their bodies waved back and forth along with the vehicle as they hit the potholes that plagued the small road. Harli saw Daryl take notice to their appearance and stepped towards the dirt road, watching Hershel pull up to a stop. Hershel rolled down the window and looked out,

"The Governor's already in there... just sat down with Rick."

"Wait... he got here first?" Harli asked and Daryl nodded his head. Hershel looked around,

"We didn't see any cars..." Daryl glanced around the area cautiously and nodded his head softly,

"Yeah. It don't feel right... keep it runnin'." Harli yanked at the door handle and ducked back under Hershel's crutches, stepping out into the cool air. The noiseless air didn't last too much longer as the growling engine of a vehicle came bustling around the corner.

"Head's up!" Daryl smacked his hand on the hood and ran around the front of the SUV, bringing his crossbow up against his shoulder and pointing it at the large white truck that pulled to an abrupt stop. Hershel immediately began to get out of the SUV and Harli pointed her AR at the truck, seeing one of The Governor's top men stepping out of the driver's seat. Andrea, as well as a tall man with glasses, stepped out of the passengers seats of the truck. They were quiet as they faced the prison dwellers, Daryl stepping forward and glaring at the Latino man that stared back at him with an equal stare.

"What the hell? Why's your boy already in there!?" Daryl growled with demand and Andrea stared at him confusingly,

"He's here?" She seemed surprised at the fact that The Governor had arrived sooner than planned.

"Yeap..." Daryl replied and continued to point his crossbow at the two men. With a disappointed sigh, Andrea trudged towards the door to the warehouse and tore open the screaming door, disappearing into the shadows.

Harli studied the two men in her crosshairs, seeing that they were not on the careful offensive like she and Daryl were. She lowered her gun and stepped back, leaning against the side of the Hyundai. Harli was adamant about keeping her eyes on these Woodburians, her trigger finger ready while the rifle rested against her legs. The silence was tense and awkward, but she took that moment to gauge the men's characters just by their body movements and looks. Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye, she watched the taller man with glasses flip out a pocketbook and rest it on the hood of the truck, stealing a pen from his pocket and beginning to jot down unknown words. During her time in the shoddy dungeons of Woodbury, she hadn't seen him before. He didn't seem like an armed henchman, but the aura he gave off was awkward and meek. Harli didn't feel threatened by him.

But the Latino that continued to glare at Daryl, and briefly glance at Harli, was a different story. He was one of the men that had taken her, Maggie, and Glenn down into the shanties and kept an eye on them. He was a lot different. She could tell by his darkly colored eyes he held ruthless and malicious intent. He was like any good, loyal dog that listened to his master and there were plenty of violent, untold stories in his scruffy face.

Harli moved her eyes over to Daryl, who had begun to slowly pace about them anxiously. He kept a close eye on the Woodburians and stared at them curiously. Hershel leaned on the front bumper of the SUV, rifle in hand, showing that even with his handicap he was still someone willing to get down to business. With a sharp huff, Daryl finally stopped next to Hershel. Hershel saw his anxiousness and mediated,

"Maybe I should go inside..."

"The Governor thought it best if he and Rick spoke privately..." The meek man with glasses stated and looked up from his note-taking. Daryl tilted his head and stared at the man,

"Who the hell are you?" He asked matter-of-factly and the man looked over at him plainly,

"Milton Mamet." Milton returned his attention towards the note pad on the hood of the truck. Daryl scoffed with a soft nod, looking off into the distance and slowly turning around,

"Great... he brought his butler." Harli couldn't help but break a soft smile on her face at his comic relief.

"I'm his advisor." Milton stated, unfazed by Daryl's joke. Daryl turned back around to face him,

"What kind of advice?" Milton let out a slightly annoyed huffed and looked back at Daryl,

"Planning... biters, uh, you know I'm sorry... I don't feel like I need to explain myself to the henchman."

"You better watch your mouth, _Sunshine_." Daryl warned and the Latino man spoke for the first time.

"If we're not gonna be out here pointin' guns at each other all day then... do me a favor. Shut your mouth." Daryl didn't take his words too lightly and let out a deep breath, walking forward towards the Latino challengingly. The two brushed chests and glared into each other's eyes, Daryl easily gaining the height advantage by a couple inches.

"Okay there, boys." Harli pushed off the SUV and reached out, grabbing Daryl's jacket and tugging at him to back off.

"Martinez..." Milton mumbled from behind, but Martinez kept his eyes fixed on Daryl.

"We don't need this. If all goes South in there we'll all be at each other's throats soon enough." Hershel stated and the two hot-heads glared at each other violently before Daryl finally backed off. Feeling Harli's tight grip on his leather jacket, Daryl turned around to face the safe haven of her green eyes. He moved past her and Harli glanced back at Martinez,

"Better keep that mutt of yours on a tighter leash." He barked and Harli only glared back at him,

"Consider yourself lucky that I have to." She defended with warning and Martinez scoffed, watching her turn around and walk away from him. Harli stopped in front of Daryl and saw him glaring back at Martinez, "I know it's hard but try to keep your fists to yourself."

"Shit's takin' too long." Daryl huffed gruffly and Harli cocked her head,

"Rick and The Governor are here to try and figure something out. It's not going to take them ten minutes to think up a treaty." Harli breathed while staring into his blue eyes. She saw his jaw move tightly against his cheek as he began to chew on the inside of his mouth. Harli pressed her hand softly against his chest and pushed him back, "Come on, take a step back and ease up."

Daryl leaned up against the front bumper of the pale green SUV and sighed, shouldering his crossbow. Harli rested herself next to him for his comfort and the two waited patiently against their vehicle. Hershel moved and propped himself up against the side of the building where Rick, Andrea, and The Governor were held up in. Everyone waited quietly and patiently, Harli noticing Daryl's foot tapping impatiently against the ground.

A pair of footsteps walked from the shadows of the cracked door and Andrea appeared, her face in disarray. She looked up to see all eyes on her, and not knowing what to do, she moved over towards a makeshift bench on the wall of the building. She dipped her head in defeat and Martinez moved from his truck, closing the squeaky door to give the leaders their privacy. Once Martinez returned to his vehicle, Daryl couldn't take sitting still and pushed off the SUV, beginning to pace again. Harli knew she couldn't help his muddle anxiety and let his pacing go uninterrupted by her intervening. Daryl let out a deep sigh and turned around, continuing his pacing.

"There's no reason we can't take this time together to discuss the issues ourselves..." Milton finally stepped forward and cleared the air. Daryl stopped back next to Harli and stared back at Milton,

"I said sit tight and shut up." Martinez said while looking back at the meek scientist. Daryl glanced over his shoulder at Martinez,

"You mean The Governor?" His eyes shifted to Milton, who he directed his words to.

"It's a good thing. They're sitting down; especially after what happened. They're gonna work it out... I mean, nobody wants another battle."

"I wouldn't exactly call that a battle." Daryl's raspy voice echoed in everyone's ears and Milton stared back at the crossbow-wielder,

"I would call it a battle... and I did. I recorded it." Milton held up his small pocket book and Daryl turned fully to face him curiously,

"For what?"

"Somebody's gotta keep a record of what we've gone through. It'll be a part of our history." Milton explained and Hershel stared at him heartily,

"That makes sense." Milton looked over at Hershel and felt as if he had connected to someone. He walked towards Hershel,

"I've got... dozens of interviews and-"

A loud snarl erupted from the maze of giant gins behind Martinez's truck and everyone's eyes searched for the culprit. Harli pushed off the car and readied her rifle as Daryl and Martinez were already on the trail, Martinez grabbing his bat from the driver's seat. Andrea jumped to her feet and flicked out her knife, the two women quickly jogging after the men and leaving Hershel and Milton behind.

They each followed each other in tight formation, Daryl breaking from around a corner with his crossbow drawn. Walkers took notice to their appearance and made way towards the four survivors, their snarls and hisses echoing off the metal cylinders. Daryl lowered his crossbow and looked at Martinez, bowing his head and swinging his arm forward, "After you!"

"No way..." Martinez glared back at Daryl and pointed his aluminum bat at the Walkers, "You first."

Andrea sighed at the two men's childishness and shoved herself through them. She reached her forearm up and slammed a Walker against the metal gin with brute force, bringing her free hand up and stabbing it through the eye. Harli watched as it fell to the ground and her ears picked up yet another gurgle. Her eyes turned to see a Walker lunging at her and she jumped back, flipping the gun in her hands and gripping the barrel tightly. With as much force as her body would let her, she swung the butt of her gun and broke the Walker's neck. It fell to the ground and clawed at the air, trying to get back to its feet. Harli yanked the knife from her belt and hovered over the Walker, jabbing it into its temple and avoid the mashed face in which her rifle obliterated. Daryl and Martinez stared back at Harli as she stood to her feet, seeing their eyes on her.

"_Pussy_." Martinez breathed while looking back at Daryl, moving from his side and twirling his bat cockily in his fingers. Martinez slammed the heavy bat against a Walkers head, its brain and skull matter splattering all over the rusted metal of the gin. Martinez smiled and looked back at Daryl, who rolled his shoulder and cocked his head challengingly, knowing that the competition was on.

Daryl powered past Martinez while drawing his crossbow, and like the bulls-eye of a target, he pressed the trigger and the bowstring released his bolt between the dead center of the Walkers eyes. Martinez brushed the lame kill off his shoulder and twirled the bat expertly in his hand, stopping the handle briefly in his hand and whacking a Walker against the head. Its head imploded from the impact and the Walker's body fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Andrea sighed and shook her head, turning around to walk back towards the meeting building. Harli watched Andrea walk past her and then brought her eyes back to Daryl and Martinez, who were disappearing into the maze of gins. With a deep sigh, she returned her rifle into the original position in her hands and turned around to follow after Andrea.

Martinez moved around a set of metal bearings and continued to twirl his bat in his fingers. Just as Martinez went to swing at the next Walker, Daryl moved forward quickly and took the Walkers head in his sights. With another pull of a trigger, the bolt whisked from its position and struck completely through the Walkers head. It fell to the ground in defeat and Martinez stared at his stolen Walker kill, moving quickly towards the next one and eyeballing the crossbow bolt protruding from the Walker's neck. Daryl swiped his knife hastily from the sheath on his belt and he took the blade in his hand, his backwoods instincts rapidly calculating in his mind. Reaching his arm back, he flung the long blade from his fingertips and it whirled through the air, making a deadline path into the Walkers head.

Martinez looked back at Daryl, who stood tall and narrowed his eyes triumphantly at the Latino. Daryl couldn't help but smirk cockily to himself, showing exactly who the tougher man was. Martinez's eyes shifted back to the down Walkers Daryl's weapons had stolen and scoffed, stepping over them and out into the dwindling sunlight. Daryl soon pressed on and retrieved his bolts and trusty knife, returning them to their rightful places to wait to be used again. He followed Martinez's faded footsteps in the half dead grass below his boots, stepping out from the forest of gin's to see Martinez leaning on a telephone pole.

The black crossbow dangled from his hand lazily and swung along with his arms as he walked. He narrowed his eyes when he saw a freshly killed Walker lying into the grass a few feet from Martinez. Daryl cursed mentally to himself; half wishing he had followed Martinez more closely to steal this Walker kill as well. Daryl looked into Martinez's redeemed black eyes briefly as he walked past him, glancing down at the Walker. He knelt down next to it and saw a familiar sight peeking out from under the shadows of its chest pocket. Daryl's fingers greedily searched the pocket and his lips cocked into half a smirk as he saw what he scavenged for. It was half a box of Camel's and he held it over his shoulder, showing Martinez his find,

"Look what he's got." Martinez looked at them curiously and Daryl stood to his feet, plucking one of the cigarettes from the box and securing the filter in between his lips. He turned around and elevated the box towards Martinez with friendly intent, Martinez leaning forward and staring at the cigs. With a shake of his head, he leaned back on the pole,

"Nah... I prefer menthols." Martinez looked up at the sky and Daryl scoffed, tucking the box of the cancer sticks in the back pocket of his pants.

"Douchebag." He switched the box of cigarettes for his zippo lighter and snapped open the top. With a flick of the ignition, the flame spirited to life and he brought the mini inferno to the tip of the cigarette, sucking on the end of the filter as it began to burn. The inhale of the nicotine freshened Daryl's spirit and calmed his anxious demeanor. He finally let out the smoke filling his lungs and the secondhand smolder blew away in the wind. Looking back at Martinez, he remembered seeing the angered and crazy look in his eyes as he killed the Walkers,

"You army or somethin'?" Daryl pulled the cigarette from his mouth and the smoke clouded his view of Martinez. The Latino tapped the bat against the ground and looked down,

"Nah... just hate these things." Martinez spoke of the Walkers. Daryl stared at Martinez as he knew he wasn't done talking, "After what they did. You know... wife... kids." Martinez didn't meet Daryl's gaze and only looked past him. Daryl looked down grimly upon hearing Martinez's burden's, understanding where he was coming from.

"That sucks..." Daryl brought the cigarette back to his lips and took another deep inhale of the intoxicating smoke. Martinez nodded to himself and looked down,

"Thanks..." He mumbled more to himself than Daryl, knowing that he was actually apologizing for the incident. The two men stood in comfortable silence, Daryl blowing out curdling smoke from his lips and looking out into a long grass field. Martinez looked back at Daryl and sighed to himself,

"You know this is a joke, right?" Martinez asked and Daryl looked over at him, taking the cigarette from his mouth. Martinez scoffed, "They ain't gonna work anything out. Sure, they'll do their little dance and tomorrow... the next day... they'll give the word."

"I know." Daryl nodded, knowing that this journey was a total bust on both of their ends. Things happened to both of the groups that the other had done unforgivingly and there was nothing more that could be done between them.

Martinez nodded towards Daryl and motioned for the box of cigarettes, Daryl quickly reaching into his pocket and sliding them out. He elevated the smashed box towards Martinez and the Latino rested his baseball bat on the pole, pulling a cig out and popping it in his mouth. Daryl quickly exchanged the box with his zippo once again, flicking the ignition and bringing out the flame. Martinez leaned down and poked the end of the cigarette into the fire, puffing on the filter until it lit. Smoke curled up from his cigarette, and eventually exited out through his nostrils. He leaned back on the telephone pole and took another deep inhale of the cig, pulling it out of his mouth and letting it dwindle in his fingers. Martinez looked back at Daryl with contemplation, glancing down at the dead grass he stood on.

"Was wondering where that girl went."

"What girl?" Daryl asked curiously and Martinez looked up at him, nodding his head back towards their meeting place.

"The green eyed one back there... she escaped from Woodbury, right?" He asked and Daryl narrowed his eyes with a hesitant nod. Martinez nodded, "Glad she got outta there. Don't think I'd be able to kill a woman." He popped the cigarette back in his mouth and puffed on it, trying to regain the intense nicotine fix riddling through his body.

"Yeah... me too." Daryl mumbled to himself and sucked on his own cigarette. Martinez looked over at him curiously,

"She with you?" Martinez asked with a smirk, resting the back of his head on the pole behind him. Daryl felt the smoke curling out of his lips and up past his eyes, his vision on the ground blurred,

"Guess you could say that..." Martinez looked to Daryl from the corner of his eyes, seeing the sudden awkwardness in Daryl's stature.

"All I can say is hold onto her tight. If this world hasn't gotten her yet, it will eventually."

**.:=:.**

Harli was leaning over the hood of the Hyundai, her elbows resting on the dirty green paint. She watched Hershel and Milton exchanging conversation back against the gate by the truck Milton arrived in. She kept a look out for Daryl and Martinez, knowing it probably wasn't the smartest idea to let the two hot heads run off with each other. They should have made it back by now and Harli half wanted to go and look for them. She hated being a worrywart; but they were the musclemen of the two groups. If something were to happen with Rick and The Governor they were going to need Daryl and Martinez.

Harli found herself glancing along her shoulder line and seeing Andrea sitting by herself on a shady bench next to the door. Brief flashes of their conflicts in the past ran through Harli's head like a streaming movie. She could see the turmoil and grittiness in Andrea's face; knowing that she was taking this harder than anyone. Harli sighed and picked at her thumbnail in boredom,

"How you doin' over there, Andrea?" Andrea looked over at Harli and sat up straight on her bench, rubbing her hand across her forehead.

"I just want this to be over already."

"You and I both." Harli stood upright and moved towards her, planting herself softly on the old wooden bench. Harli leaned back and rested her arm across the back of the bench, staring off into the distance, "You think this is going to work?"

"I don't know I just... want them to figure something out." Andrea looked over at her, "I'm tired of all this meaningless bloodshed. We shouldn't be fighting with each other when there's a much bigger threat out there." Harli nodded and agreed with Andrea. It was odd to do such a thing since the two women never saw anything eye to eye. Harli rested her rifle down against the building,

"And what if it doesn't work. What will you do then?"

"I don't know..." She rested her face in the palms of her hands and let out a deep sigh. Andrea clasped her hands together and rested her forehead on her fingers, glancing at Harli from the corner of her eyes.

"What will you do? I know you don't want to watch anyone else die." Harli glanced over at her with her green eyes,

"I'll do what I have to do to protect those close to me. I mean... I killed a good friend of mine yesterday to save Daryl... Merle... and the welfare of the group." Harli hunched over her knees and fiddled with her fingers, letting out a sigh. Andrea's brows creased on her face,

"Who was it?"

"A person I worked with at the prison when the world was all puppies and sunshine. I ran into him in the depths of the prison when it got overrun; the day Lori and T-Dog died. He was a good man, just... things took a turn for the worst in his darkest days. He had Daryl at the throat with a knife and I couldn't hesitate or I knew he would've killed him." Harli found herself looking into Andrea's eyes, seeing the surprise in them. Andrea nodded,

"That must've been hard." Harli took a deep breath,

"It was, but... one of the main rules we all live by now is that we can't dwell too much on the deaths of our people anymore. I know it sounds harsh, but that's the only thing we know these days. It's going to get us killed."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there... for all of it." Andrea apologized, dwelling on the fact that her fellow comrades died in her absence.

"It's not your fault. Don't beat yourself up too bad about it. If it makes you feel any better... I wasn't there either." The two sat in silence for a few moments and Andrea couldn't help smirk to herself. Her eyes stared off into the distance and then moved to Harli, who fiddled with her clasped fingers.

"The last time I remember us talking civilly like this was back when we were still in the rock quarry outside Atlanta." Harli met her gaze and smirked to herself,

"Back before we tried to kill each other? Good times..."

"Oh god... I almost forgot about that." Andrea laughed under her breath and Harli reached to the flap of her shorts, lifting it up,

"I still have the scar from you slashing my leg before Daryl pulled me off of you." Harli rubbed her thumb across the small knife scar and Andrea looked at it, seeing the light upheaval of skin that formed into the blemish.

"We really didn't like each other back then, huh?" The two women's eyes met once again and Harli shrugged with a smirk,

"I still don't like you much now."

"Eh... I don't like you much, either." Andrea and Harli laughed softly to themselves while sitting on the bench next to the meeting building. Andrea took a light breath and dropped her smile, as well as her gaze, remembering what Rick had said while she was with them.

"What happened to you... in Woodbury?" She looked over at Harli and saw the unknown look in her soft green irises, "Rick said "he knew" about the raids... you and Maggie. What did he mean by that?" Harli's throat suddenly became dry and she quickly stemmed up a lie in her head,

"Beat me up really bad... threatened to kill me, Maggie, and Glenn if I didn't tell him where we were held up. He even tried to cut my finger off... but I just wouldn't tell him." Andrea half believed the lie but Harli could see the look in the blonde's blue eyes that she knew Harli wasn't telling her everything. Harli waited for another question but Andrea didn't give her one. Harli sighed to herself and stood to her feet, grabbing her leaning rifle and tossing the strap over her shoulder, "When the time comes for you to figure out what you're going to do... you'll know. I'm not going to sit here and preach and beg you to come back to the prison with us. That's something you'll need to figure out on your own."

Harli moved away as she noticed Hershel meandering over towards Andrea on his crutches. Harli leaned on the far side of the Hyundai, looking out among the shambles of the large cotton factory in order to find some type of movement. She didn't want to worry too much about Daryl; he could handle his own. No gunshots meant that Martinez hadn't tried to kill him. He wouldn't have been stupid enough to try and take Daryl on with just an aluminum baseball bat.

'_Can you handle seeing him, face to face, if it comes down to it?'_

Rick's words mumbled through the back of her mind like a soothing, broken record. Harli rubbed a hand over her face and clenched her eyes shut from a sudden headache. The Governor's face flashed in her head, making her eyes open to make she was still in the same spot she was standing. She was. Seeing movement out of the corner of her eyes, Harli saw the familiar bobbing head of Daryl approaching through the forest of gins, Martinez not far behind the crossbow-wielder. From what she could see, the two were completely fine and in good health. Harli didn't move from her position, which made Daryl walk over and stop next to her. She looked into his blue eyes curiously,

"Have fun?" She asked, smelling the far too familiar scent of cigarettes on his body. He nodded,

"Just had to prove who the bigger man was." He glanced over his shoulder at Martinez, who rested next to the driver's side door of his white truck of destruction. Hershel and Milton regrouped with each other and spoke quietly with one another, Milton flashing another one of his booklets.

"Think they're done in there, yet?" Harli asked and as if speaking of the devil himself, the squealing broadside door of the large building ripped open. Out stepped The Governor, who made a slow and steady beeline towards the truck as if nothing even happened. Everyone watched his careless footsteps and stared back at Rick as he emerged from the shadows behind him.

The Governor's unpatched eye glared at Harli as he passed by, a halfcocked smile of faulty charm crossing his cheeks. Harli felt like a knife stabbed her in the heart and she had to lean back on the vehicle to avoid plunging to the ground. She couldn't tell if she was scared, angry, or dejected at the sight of his present face; it made her suddenly faint and sick to her stomach. A flash of white moved in front of her face and she noticed the worn out stitching of Daryl's angel wing vest reassuring her comfort. Finally remembering where she was, all her mixed feelings burned away as The Governor stepped into the truck and shut the driver's side door. Harli took a much needed, deep breath and reestablished her strength and confidence.

Rick moved towards the Hyundai, and with one last look to The Governor, he jumped into the prison members vehicle. Andrea and Harli exchanged quick glances; Andrea searching for some sort of consolation from her, but Harli didn't offer it. It was up to Andrea now.

Harli heard the engine of Daryl's motorcycle chuckle to life and saw Andrea turn around, heading back to the passenger's seat of The Governor's transportation.

Daryl slowly pulled up next to Harli and flicked his head behind him. Harli swung a leg around the bike and rested it on a peg, steadying herself and hearing Daryl rev the engine. Daryl scowled at The Governor as he passed by, leading the Hyundai behind him, wishing he could plant his knife into The Governor's good eye. Ripping it out, along with his bare hand, and hearing The Governor's desperate cries would be completely satisfying.

**.:=:.**

"Let's get inside." Rick ordered as everyone flooded outside the prison in greetings to their arrival. Daryl put the bike on its kickstand as Harli pulled herself off the motorcycle. Daryl watched her careful movements as she followed the flooding crowd back into the cellblock. She hadn't spoken a word since their departure from the rundown factory. Hooking the crossbow's strap over his shoulder, he pursued after everyone and shut the heavy block door behind him.

Harli leaned on the cold concrete wall of the cellblock, everyone standing around in an awkward gathering. Their weary eyes stared at their leader for answers and they were tempted to flood him with questions. Rick moved towards the armory cell and reached in, grabbing a long ranged rifle and securing it tightly in his hands. Harli wanted to hear what Rick had to say; she wanted to know what he and The Governor had discussed, but knew he wouldn't address the details. Rick looked into each and everyone one of his group members eyes, stopping briefly at Harli,

"So I met this "Governor"..." He paused for a moment and contemplated on his next words, "Sat with him for quite a while."

"Just the two of ya?" Merle asked and Rick nodded towards him. Merle pushed through the group to make a point, "Should've got 'em when we had the chance, bro..." Harli could tell there was disappointment in his voice as he turned back around. Her gaze moved back towards Rick,

"He wants the prison. He wants us gone... dead. He wants us dead." Rick repeated, his voice now becoming hostile, "For what we did to Woodbury." Another long pause of silence brewed around them and everyone knew what was coming next. Rick barely had to say a thing, "_We're goin' to war_."

The way Rick said it made goose bumps roll across her skin and her head bow towards the ground. As she felt Rick's presence leave the group, she chewed on her lip and looked up, seeing the forlorn look on her fellow survivors faces. They were desolate and grim in their movements, knowing that they could surely die the next day, the day after that, or maybe the next week. They didn't know and that scared them the most.

Harli watched as Daryl moved up the stairs to the perch and into the prison cell next to hers. She turned her head around her shoulder and saw Merle leaning back on a wall, his blue Dixon eyes boring into the wall across from him. Harli's eyes dropped to the floor and her ears heard the casual shifting of everyone's feet, clothes, and weapons. The boots on her feet moved out of the cellblock and her eyes stared forward, trying to find any sign of Rick. She noticed Carl staring at the heavy door leading to the long cat walk in between cellblock C and B, knowing he must have been out there.

She shoved open the squealing, rusty door and saw Rick, the loyal rifle leaning on the fencing next to him, staring out in the midst of prison yards. His fingers grappled the welded wire lazily; his face the worst of them all. Harli stopped next to him and hooked her fingers in the wire, following his gaze out into the courtyards. The two stood in comfortable silence with one another, Harli hearing Rick's rough and tired breathing pushing and pulling through Rick's lips.

"The groups taking it as good as we can expect. Merle and Michonne are convinced we should hit first." Harli broke the stale air and looked over at Rick, "Carol and Hershel, of course, think we should take our chances on the road." Rick finally looked to her and she nodded in his acknowledgment, "We're in this_ together_. So if we stay and fight... so be it."

Rick stared at her solemnly and nodded, kicking his boot softly against the fencing, "And what do you think we should do?"

"Personally... I think we've come too far to run away. We've lost people here; fought our way in to make it ours. It would've been a waste to our lives and those we've lost. I'm willing to stay and fight; to die here trying to protect all of you."

The two stood in silence once again and her words sunk into Rick's skin. He leaned back and forth from the fence, one hand still hooked in the fence and the other on his pocket. Harli's green eyes moved out into the horizon and her hand adjusted the itchy strap on her shoulder to a more comfortable position. Rick looked up, "He gave me a choice... a way out."

"What does he want?" Harli grew curious at The Governor's demands and stared sternly at Rick.

"Michonne." His blue eyes met her gaze and she narrowed her eyes at him. She remembered the things that Michonne had done in the little time she had been with them. The things that Carl was telling Harli she did when they went on the gun run the day prior. Michonne was very smart and savvy for the group, and in Harli's eyes, she made her place. Even if Harli hadn't spoken to her much since she had been there, she was not a member of Team Prison.

"He's going to kill her." Harli turned her body and leaned her shoulder on the fence to face him. Rick shook his head,

"He's gonna kill us anyway..." Rick took another moment of silence and bowed his head, "But what if he doesn't? What if this is the answer?"

"Why didn't you tell the others?" Harli asked, crossing her arms. She felt a soft wind blow and the bangs curled around her face tickle her cheeks childishly. She waited for his answer patiently,

"They need... to be scared. Would you have killed those men you did in Woodbury if you weren't?" Rick asked and stared at her. Quick flashes of the men's dead faces flashed in her mind and she rubbed her hand on her cheek, shaking her head. He was right; the fear she felt while trying to escape Woodbury was overwhelming and her survival instincts kicked into overdrive.

"They are scared." Harli looked down at the boots on her feet, tapping the tip on the ground softly. Rick nodded his head,

"Good. 'Cause that's the only way they're gonna accept it." She saw his jaw tightening under the scruff on his face. Harli sighed to herself,

"She's done good here... Rick. She's saved Hershel's life; Merle, Glenn, Maggie... Me. If she hadn't come here, you guys would've never known we were taken. She's earned her place... and so has Merle." Rick let out a silent sigh and nodded more to himself than Harli,

"Yes... yes they have." Another longer, tenser silence between them brewed and a storm of thoughts erupted in Rick's mind. He was torn; piece by piece, not knowing what to do. Finally, he broke his hazy glare from the prison yard back to Harli, "Are you willing to sacrifice Daryl's life, and everyone else's, for her?" Rick struck a low blow but Harli knew he was right. He knew she had strong ties with everyone in the group like they were family; the strongest between her and Daryl. She narrowed her eyes at Rick and words halted on her tongue before escaping her lips. Harli didn't know what to say to him and ignored the question,

"Why are you telling me all this?" She asked credulously and brought her eyes out into the horizon of trees cradled around the prison. Rick finally moved his body for the first time and he faced her,

"Because... I'm hopin' you can talk me out of it." Rick and Harli stared at each other so long she lost track. It felt like forever as she stared in the broken turmoil of his eyes. Letting out a deep sigh, closing her eyes, and turning to lean her forehead on the cold steel of the fencing, Harli tried desperately to give him an answer; to form up a valid argument to protect Michonne's welfare in the group and stop Rick from using her as a bargaining chip.

Rick was like her surrogate father; saving her more than once. He was a strong leader, misjudged many times by the group, but never once did Harli doubt a move he made. Everything Rick did was for the welfare of the group: trying to find Sophia, killing Shane, killing most of the prisoners, and leading them through hell and back in the winter months. Harli couldn't offer answers to his leading questions, couldn't help him make decisions for the groups welfare. That was Daryl's job. But she did learn, with whatever skills she had left from her working days, that she could provide comfort and mental solace to those around her; especially Rick.

"I don't..." Harli opened her eyes and looked back at Rick, "I don't know if I can..."

**.:=:.**

Harli leaned her forehead on the dirty glass of the guard tower, her eyes closed and her mind dwindling. Rick's dejected face crowded in her mind; she felt bad for not knowing what to say to him when he really needed her advice. Her eyes narrowed open as she heard a discontented grumble coming from her stomach, signaling its annoyed hunger. Harli ignored her stomachs pleas and sighed to herself, not feeling much for scavenging for whatever mediocre food the prison had left.

She heard the door snap open and practically jumped out of her skin, her frightened eyes turning to meet Daryl as he stepped in. Harli let out her deeply held breath and put a hand on her chest, taking a couple breaths to steady herself. Daryl cocked an eyebrow, "You alright?"

"Yeah... just scared me, is all." She replied and Daryl closed the door behind him. He grew even more curious at her jumpiness; it had been a long time since he startled her and something like a door opening shouldn't have caused it. He rested his crossbow on the side of the standing table in the middle of the room and jumped up on the table, sitting on the edge. His hands rested in between his legs, "Should go inside and get some sleep; I'll take watch for a bit."

"No... I wouldn't be able to if I tried." Harli stood with her back to him, beginning to look back out the window. Knowing another question was about to be thrown her way, she briefly glanced over her shoulder at Daryl, "I'm just not tired right now."

Daryl saw the tenseness in her shoulders and fiddled with his fingers, looking down at them. He recalled the brief conversation he had with Rick in privacy about what their next move was. Rick had told him that he talked to Harli about it and Daryl was sure that's what was bothering her. "You worried about the exchange in a couple days."

"I guess you could say that." Daryl barely made out the words as her voice was so low. He nodded,

"You're scared."

"Yes... yes I am." She admitted, turning to lean her shoulder on the window. With a tired sigh, Harli met Daryl's gaze, "You talked to Rick?" Daryl nodded at her and she looked down, "He's right, you know... The Governor's gonna kill us, regardless if we give him Michonne..."

"Yeah... Merle says the same."

A strong silence brewed between the two and Harli shifted on her feet, turning around to face him completely. Daryl looked up once he noticed she had moved, but didn't realize she was already standing in front of him. She placed her hands on his knees and gripped them tightly, lifting her legs and resting her knees on the table on either side of him. Harli sat down on his lap and draped her arms loosely around his neck, staring into his bright blue eyes. Before he knew it, his lips were consumed by hers into a deep kiss. She pressed her body up against his and Daryl's head followed wherever her lips took him. Harli felt his hands brush up the back of her legs and stop at her hips; she could feel the sparking lust in his touch.

Harli yanked the flaps of her jacket open and peeled the clothing off her skin; tossing it against the wall and hearing it fall with a soft _clang _from the heavy zipper and metal buttons clad on the material. Her hand returned to his neck and she rubbed her palms all the way down under the flaps of his leather jacket onto his shoulders. Daryl's skin tingled at the touch of her delicate fingers and emotions overwhelmed his brain. He knew what she wanted, what was coming, and he was ready to become overcome with her pleasure. But he knew, somewhere in her core, that the traumatized women hiding in the shadows could lash out at any second.

Grabbing her wrists as he felt her fingers tug at his shirt, Daryl opened his eyes and pulled back from her intoxicating lips. Harli narrowed her eyes, confused, and breathed towards him, "What's wrong?"

"You sure?" He asked quietly back, clearing his mind for a few moments. Harli looked down past him and a soft nod came from her head, her green eyes staring back at him confidently,

"Yeah..."

"I don't want to hurt you." Daryl said with hesitation and Harli couldn't help but smile at his protective nature,

"You won't..." She pressed her lips back against his and Daryl took that cue to yank his jacket violently off his body.

Daryl briefly lost himself in a blur of clothing as Harli tore off her tank top and tossed it on the floor. It was the first time he saw her full figure; the skin on her chest dipping in a V from the cleavage generated by her breasts. The black bra on her chest teased him cruelly and he suddenly became overzealous. The "_Look-Don't-Touch_" rule didn't apply and his hands greedily grappled around her hips and yanked her forward towards him. A soft huff came from her lips and he looked back to her face, not seeing any hint of pain of hesitation in her eyes. All doubts escaped his mind as soon as her rosy lips latched back onto his, her fingers pulling viciously at the buttons on his sleeveless shirt. Daryl's heart leapt at the thought of her hands touching his chest, and more importantly, his _scars_. He had to pry his hands from her enthralling hips and dropped his shirt to the floor. As soon as he returned his grip, he found his thumb caressing the scar just above the lip on her shorts, remembering briefly the brutal story behind it.

'_Fuckin' shorts..._' Daryl growled in his mind, knowing they were the barrier to the moment he had been waiting for far too long. Harli ran her fingernails down his chest and she smiled at the sound of the escaped hiss that escaped from between his lips. With his hands on her hips for so long, she knew what he wanted and her fingers quickly found the button on her black shorts. Daryl watched her long legs pull out from the shorts, along with her black underwear, and he smiled at the thought of her reading his mind. The only thing he wondered was how she so sneakily slipped out of her boots. Harli's index finger scraped up his neck, sending shivers down his spine as her fingertip ended at the bottom of his scruffy chin. She pushed his head up to face hers and he grabbed her lips into his once again, this time, the kiss deeper and feverish. Harli beat him to it.

He felt her taunting tongue trail across his bottom lip and his fingers tangled into her chocolate brown hair. Daryl wasn't one to be teased, and frankly, he didn't like it much. He pressed his lips forcefully into hers and she bowed back, his hand sliding up the dip in her back until they stopped at the strap of her bra. Harli pressed back with her own force and placed one hand on his scruffy cheek, the other gripping tightly on the back of his neck and digging her fingernails into his skin. Daryl's tongue licked her lips with reply and Harli let him in, their tongues dancing lustfully against each other. Daryl smiled lightly to himself in the midst of their kiss, feeling victorious once the bra strap around her chest snapped loose.

Daryl's body began to shake with anticipation, his other brain beginning to take over. The throbbing swell in his pants begged him to continue, to take it to the next level for which they both waited for. Daryl pulled away from her lips, seeing the clouded look in her eyes. He swore they were begging and he liked the look she was giving him. He pulled down his zipper and tugged down on his pants, knowing he didn't have to take them completely off. There was no time for something so insignificant. Daryl closed his eyes and took a deep breath, looking up into Harli's awaiting eyes slowly. As if asking for permission, he searched for an answer but she didn't give him one. She took it on her own accord.

Harli lowered herself back onto his lap, a barely audible whimper forcing its way through her throat once he was fully inside her. There was so much pain, but yet, so much pleasure riddling through her body she didn't know which one to pay attention to. Harli pressed her forehead against Daryl's and heard him growling to himself, his fingers tightening around her hips like the handlebars on his motorcycle. Before attempting to make any rocking movement, he gauged her reaction by looking into her face. If she were hurting at all, she was doing a hell of a good job masking it. He gasped sharply as Harli took the reins sooner than he expected, rolling her hips and tightening herself around him. Daryl rolled his head around hers and his teeth bit down yearningly on her neck, hearing her groan. He swirled his tongue around slowly on her skin, feeling the shivers coming from her body.

Daryl moved with her rhythms, moving in and out slowly and smiling to himself at the sounds of her gasps and groans. It was all so inebriating, everything about her made him want to break loose. Her smell, her taste, and the way she felt under his touch; it was difficult for him to be so delicate with her as if she was his fragile porcelain doll.

Harli continued to feel the sharp pain in the lower pit of her stomach, trying her best to ignore it. But as she blinked her eyes, all she could see were striking flashes of _his_ face. She pressed her lips onto Daryl's to try and calm the brewing storm in her body. '_It's just Daryl; It's only Daryl_' she continued to relay over and over until she convinced herself it were true. But she didn't have to. Daryl's hand wrapped around her back and brought her in closely, his other hand trailing up her neck and stopping at the base of her jaw.

Her pain numbly began to vanish and Daryl lifted her light figure, jumping to his feet. He swung her around and laid her down on the table. Taking control for the first time, Daryl swung his hips against her and felt her legs wrap around his waist, bringing him in closer. He sped up his motions slowly, staring into her eyes to find some time of painful reply to his thrusts. She leaned up and kissed him deeply, feeling the lust in her mouth that begged him even more than he expected. Taking that as his resolve, he pushed forward heavier for the first time, feeling her body jaw twitch in delight. Every time he pulled out, Daryl pushed back in harder and deeper, watching her body jolt at every strike. His face hovered over her chest and his lips brushed over her breasts; his hot breath caressing her nipples as he passed by. As he watched her body shiver from his steaming breath, the warm walls of her insides squeezed tightly around him, making him grunt and curl his fingers against her skin. His hips pumped harder and he continued to keep the deteriorating control of his animal; Daryl leaned his head back down, wanting to do it all over again.

His rough hand brushed against the delicate skin on her chest, his other hand sliding up the back of her leg and pressing it against his hip. Once feeling that his breath was beginning to have no effect on her pleasured response, Daryl wrapped his lips around his nipple and she practically jumped with delight. He growled at the excruciating pleasure of her tightness and his hips began to act on their own; no longer responding to his pleading brain to keep them gentle. Daryl's feverish lips switched breasts and her lips wrapped around the new plaything, this time, his tongue sliding back and forth across the tantalizing skin.

Harli felt an odd sensation in the pit of her stomach and she found herself holding her breath. Her wide, green eyes stared at the ceiling and her vision became cloudy; her fingernails clawing against the hard table. Daryl's body thumped against her and it was riveting; she felt every one of his movements all the way into his fingertips. Her muscles began to twitch, "Daryl!"

He looked to her face and felt her hand wrap around the back of his neck once again, her forehead pressing against his, "I like it when you say my name like that..." He breathed and Harli's breathing became erratic,

"Then don't... stop." She whispered with a hot breath in his ear and Daryl lost it. His hips smacked vigorously against Harli and he heard her breath catch up in her throat. Harli's head dipped back behind her shoulders and slowly, he felt her body beginning to tense up around him. Her arms wrapped up under his arms and her nails dug into his back.

Harli pressed upwards and Daryl backed off, her arms gripping him as tightly as she could and her face pressing into his chest. Daryl panted and smiled in triumph at the sound of her whimpering moan vibrating against his skin. As the orgasm tore through Harli's body, from the tip of her toes to the top of her head, the ecstasy of its wake halted her lungs and froze her tight muscles in place. Daryl took in his own deep breath upon feeling him throb inside her wet tightness, groaning to himself and resting his forehead on the top of her head. He took in her sweet scent once again, feeling oddly accomplished. He didn't need to finish off along with her; the sheer extent of experiencing her pleasure, hearing her sounds, and exploring her flawless body was just enough for him.

Finally, Harli took a deep breath and he pulled back, feeling her body twitch under his touch. Letting the long breath out slowly in a deep sigh, her glazy green eyes stared up at him tiredly and a soft smile crossed her face. She ran a hand through her hair and her tired neck drooped her head back against the base of Daryl's neck, her ears picking up his erratic heartbeat. She kissed his collar bone and she dropped her hands from his back, narrowing her brows when she felt a strange presence on her fingertips. Bringing her hand around his thick arm, her eyes widened slightly at the sight of light blood staining her fingernails. "Oh man..." She breathed and leaned back up, now staring at both her hands.

"What?" Daryl asked curiously and grabbed her hands, observing the blood on them. He glanced over his shoulder and swiped his hand across the skin on his back, feeling the sting of the shallow abrasions on his skin as his fingers passed by. He scoffed amusedly and Harli looked up at him meekly,

"Sorry..."

"Never thought you're claws were that sharp." He laughed slightly and Harli cringed with embarrassment. Daryl fixed his pants back to original position on his hips and leaned down to grab something. Harli timidly squeezed her legs back together and tried to cover up her chest with her arms. Daryl yanked on an article of clothing and brought it back up to his level, holding it in front of Harli. "Here... you can put this on."

Harli noticed the worn out, black leather of the angel wing jacket being held out to her. Harli looked up into Daryl's blue eyes and he nodded, Harli grabbing the leather chest and rubbing the soft material in between her fingers. He pressed a kiss on her forehead and turned around to give her privacy. He reached into his back pocket and stepped towards the door leading out onto the steel walkway. Harli watched Daryl pop a cigarette in his mouth and open the door, stepping out and putting on the wadded up shirt in his free hand. She saw the scratches from her fingernails and the healed up scars on his back briefly before he covered them with his sleeveless top.

Harli looked at the leather vest in her hands and flipped it around her back, stretching her arms through the sleeveless slots.

**.:=:.**

Harli's legs dangled from the guard tower's steel walkway, her arms resting on the lower rod of the railway and her chin resting on her wrists. She stared out into the burning horizon; its colors could be so easily mistaken as a forest fire in the distance. She had put her shorts and bra back on, not wanting to descend out of the private confines of the room completely naked. Daryl sat a couple feet away from her, his legs dangling off the sides as well with his hands rested in his lap. The two sat in silence for quite some time after their hot endeavor; but it was a comfortable and tender silence. The leather of the biker vest continued to cool her hot skin, a sweeping breeze blowing by in order to aid the heavy vest. Harli rubbed her neck, feeling the warm, swollen area in which Daryl had bit down on.

"Merle's gonna give you shit if he sees this..." Harli mumbled and Daryl looked over at her, smiling at his handiwork as he eyed the mark on his neck.

"He can mind his own damn business." Daryl huffed and looked down to his hands, knowing that Merle was as dirty as a dog could get. Harli laughed to herself and brushed her hair over the love wound to mask its presence,

"He'll just be jealous anyways." She laughed and heard Daryl scoff amusingly as her eyes moved back out into the sunset, her eyes flickering along with the warm colors. Harli stared down at the concrete below them, curling her toes and then stretching them out. Words hesitated in her mouth and she looked over at Daryl sitting casually next to her from the corner of her eyes. Biting on her bottom lip, she let out a deep sigh, "You think we're gonna make it through this?"

Daryl looked over at her, seeing a brief spark of fear in her eyes. His eyes lowered at the thought of a straight answer, "Yeah... we will. We always will."

Harli knew he was just as unsure as she was. She smiled at a thought and laughed under her breath, "I didn't do that with you because I thought I might die tomorrow... by the way." Harli clarified and Daryl shrugged a shoulder with a cocked smile,

"Yeah, neither did I." Harli leaned back on her hands and took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before letting it out slowly. Her eyes stared up at the sky that constantly changed colors, her skin tingling from the warm wind. She felt rejuvenated; felt safe and secure for the first time in days.

"You know..." Daryl heard her speak and looked over at her curiously, her naked belly peeking out from behind the flaps of his biker vest, "I'm sort of glad the... end of the world happened." She nodded and met his gaze, seeing the confused look on Daryl's face.

"Why?" His scruffy voice asked and Harli laughed to herself,

"I know it sounds crazy... but I'm kinda glad it did. I think about it every day, you know? If this all wouldn't have happened I wouldn't be as strong as I am now, wouldn't have met Rick, Hershel, Glenn, Maggie... you." Her voice softened and she shook her head, "I would still be a boring psychologist... living by myself and working with people who want to do nothing but kill me. When I think about it, I never can ever picture myself anywhere but here."

Daryl listened to her words, taking them into account. She was right in every sense of her words; if it weren't for this ending world, the two never would have met and he wouldn't have known Harli ever existed. It was so weird thinking about it. The most important thing he couldn't get off his mind was what type of man he would be without Rick's influence. Rick was like the brother Daryl never had. Sure, Merle was blood family and Daryl loved him with every fiber of his being, no matter what he did. But Merle was still Merle; the man who left him behind when he was a child, the man who didn't stop their father from beating on Daryl, and the man who taught him that no one cares about you more than family. But people relied on Daryl now. He was a new man born into this world: a man that cared for what happened to himself, what happened to the people around him, and where he was going to lead these people to safety.

He felt his shirt being slid off from his shoulders and his hand instantly snatched it before falling from his back. Daryl's blue eyes glanced over his shoulder to see Harli sitting on her knees behind him, her fingers gripping softly of the dirty fabric. "I don't want you to be ashamed... not around me." He knew what she spoke of and he felt the dry lump in his throat slowly roll down to his stomach. With hesitation, he let go of the shirt and closed his eyes, feeling the shirt being peeled off his back. He pulled his arms from the sleeveless holes of his flannel top and felt Harli's warm body press up against his back. A wave of goose bumps surged across his skin from her warmth and her light arms wrapped around his neck. She pressed a kiss on his cheek and he looked in her direction from the corner of his eyes, her chin resting on his shoulder.

Daryl glared back at the dwindling sunset, chewing on the inside of his lip. Everything happening around them: Walkers, The Governor, and the war they were beginning to wage, were beginning to stretch the wire as thin as it would. Daryl knew it would snap at any time and massacres would ensue on either side of the fence. The one thing he was done witnessing were those people he cared for dying in front of him. Harli was his biggest concern. Watching what she had gone through since finding her half-dead on that river bank, it made his blood boil just thinking about the tragedy's that she had to experience, all because he wasn't there for her.

"As long as I'm still breathin', I ain't gonna let nothin' bad happen to you... not anymore."


	37. Chapter 37

**AN: RIP Merle Dixon. Your death made me cry :( and I will miss you dearly...**

**Can't believe the season finale is on Sunday night... it feels like just last week that the season just started airing! Might I say this has been a fantastic season, with amazing acting done by the cast, and I think it's been better than season 1 & 2 combined! **

**I can't wait to write the season finale!**

"It's the only way." Rick's southern licked accent soothed its way into Harli's ears and his blue eyes pierced hers, Daryl's, and Hershel's briefly, "No one else knows."

"You gonna tell 'em?" Daryl asked while looking over to Rick and the leader shook his head.

"Not till after. We have to do it today... it has to be quiet."

"How are we going to do it?" Harli asked with her arms crossed, her thumb rubbing roughly across her lips.

"I don't know yet..." Rick eyed her with a sigh, his hand rubbing along the black finish of his AR-15. Daryl shifted awkwardly in his boots,

"You at least got some type of plan?" He asked and Rick nodded, walking towards him,

"We'll tell her we need to talk... away from the others." He said and Harli watched Daryl's eyes move to her questioningly. She shook her head softly and Daryl looked to Hershel, who stared at the ground in displeasure. Daryl sighed and shook his head, staring back at Rick,

"Just ain't honest man..."

"No... no it isn't." Hershel said with a bad taste in his mouth, pushing off his crutches and past Harli. Harli watched him hobble away quickly back towards the cellblock, his demeanor unhappy. Rick saw the hesitant look in Harli's eyes and leaned towards her, staring deeply into her eyes,

"If we do this... we avoid a fight. No one else dies..."

"How can you know that for sure?" Harli asked with the shake of her head,

"I don't... but it's the only card we've been dealt." Rick's gaze shifted to Daryl, who stood and stared at Rick indecisively. "We need someone else." Daryl knew what Rick wanted and he looked to the ground. Walkers crowded up against the gates and snarled at them annoyingly, Harli looking past Rick and Daryl briefly to stare at them.

"I'll talk to him." Harli's green orbs looked back at Daryl curiously as she heard his raspy voice. But Rick was quick to shoot him down,

"I'll do it."

"I'll go with ya-"

"No." Rick denied quickly and nodded his head, "Just me." He wheeled around on his heel and stalked towards the cellblock, Daryl taking a couple slow steps after him. Daryl stopped and shifted his crossbow on his shoulder, Harli walking up next to him and watching Rick disappear behind the heavy iron door.

"Don't like the idea either, huh?" He looked down at Harli, hearing her soft voice directed towards him. Daryl stared into her green eyes,

"It's not so much that... just the way he wants to go about it."

"Then tell him that. I don't want to lure her away somewhere, take advantage of her, and haul her away to meet a cruel fate courtesy of The Governor. I mean... I want to avoid war as much as the next person but... it's just not right." Harli said and Daryl nodded his head, looking at the ground,

"You don't want him to go through with it?" He asked and managed to stare over at her curiously. Harli shook her head,

"No. Because I know he's going to ask for my help and I won't be able to turn him down..." Harli moved around Daryl and spun around to face his front. She saw the doubt in his face; his eyes torn between what Rick thought was right and what Daryl, himself, thought was right. "But whatever Rick says goes... right?"

Daryl only nodded and gripped the strap of his new crossbow tightly on his shoulder, "I can try to talk to him about it... but I can't guarantee anything. I'll do that for you."

"You don't have to." Harli shook her head, "It won't change his mind. He's thinking for all of us and our safety; that's the only thing that matters."

"You sure?"

"Yeah... but thanks." Harli smiled and leaned forward, pressing her lips on his cheek in a small kiss. Daryl took a silent, deep breath upon feeling her warm touch and stared back at her with a small smile,

"Alright." The two survivors turned around and walked towards the center of the courtyard in comfortable silence. They stopped upon hearing the door opening from the other entry way and looked over to see Maggie and Glenn carrying out a large contraption. Harli took quick notice to her handiwork in the hands of the two lovers as they threw it into the back of the silver Dodge. Michonne drug the other one out by herself, Harli quickly jogging over and picking up the other end.

"We putting these out already?" Harli asked and Michonne's dark eyes looked to her in gratitude,

"Better now than later." She said and Harli glanced down at the makeshift spikes sticking out of the wood. Barbed wire cradled around the spikes in a twirl and Harli felt a twinge of an annoying pain in her hand. Michonne had asked Harli to help her the day before in building the two contraptions and the two spent some time together in building them. Michonne even doctored Harli's hand after she received a few small cuts from the razor barbed wire.

The two girls hauled the heavy equipment into the back of the truck and Maggie jumped off the tailgate, "Come on, Carl. Let's get goin'."

"Okay, here." Carl handed Maggie a large pot with a metal spoon and the two jogged off towards the secure corridor of fencing. Harli eyed Beth as she got into the driver's seat and Glenn stood up in the bed of the truck,

"We could sure use your help, Daryl." He said while looking down at Daryl. The crossbow-wielder nodded and lifted his leg up onto the tailgate,

"You got it."

"I'll go open the gates. Wait for me on the other side." Harli said to Michonne and the dark skinned woman nodded, shifting the strap of her katana and walking over to the passenger's side of the truck. She looked up to Daryl, who already knew what she wanted as he tossed her the keys. As Harli turned around and fumbled with the ring of keys, she heard Maggie and Carl's shouts and obnoxious noises bellowing through the compromised prison yard. Every Walker's attention fixated on the two and began to stumble over to them curiously with small snarls.

Harli took her chance to unlock the gate and roll it open once the coast was clear, Beth directing the truck quickly through the space. Harli shut the gate quickly and wrapped the chain back around the two bases. She turned and jumped onto the back of the tailgate, watching the gate moving farther and farther away as the truck rolled down to the broken down fences. Beth rolled the truck around the back side of the gate and came to an abrupt stop, Michonne already out of the truck with her sword drawn. Walkers took notice to their appearance and soon ignored Carl and Maggie's feeble attempts to keep their attention.

"I'm gonna need some help with these Walkers." Michonne looked back at the three in the bed of the truck and Daryl stood up,

"I'll do it."

"I can take care of it, you help Glenn. You're pretty strong." Harli bounced off the tailgate and Daryl looked back at her skeptically, only seeing her pistol and knife strapped to her belt.

"You sure?" He asked and Harli smiled with a nod,

"Of course." She looked back to Michonne and nodded towards her, taking the opposite side of the yard as the two women split up. Daryl watched Harli jog towards a few scattered Walkers as she slid her long knife from its sheath.

"Come on Daryl. Sooner we get this done the better." Daryl tore his eyes from Harli's position and looked at Glenn.

A Walker snarled loudly at Harli and clawed at her, its decaying teeth chomping at her vigorously. Her hand gripped the Walker's collar of shambled clothing tightly and she rammed her knife up through its jaw. The body dropped to the ground and she moved onto the next, running up behind an unsuspecting Walker and slamming her long blade into its brain. With one last dying hiss, she kicked it in the back to slide its head off its knife.

"Harli!" Beth called rather calmly and Harli looked over her shoulder to see a Walker slamming up against the driver's side door. Harli huffed and turned around, stepping back towards the truck quickly. Her hand lashed out and grabbed the back of the Walkers jacket, yanking it backwards and away from the truck. The Walker didn't stumbled back and quickly turned, grabbing Harli's shoulders with its rough hands and shoving her back. Harli gritted her teeth and pushed on the Walker's chest, keeping it at bay as she reached her free hand up. The Walker's fingers gripped tighter and tighter on her tan skin and she let out a discontent grunt in her throat. With all her strength, the blade of her knife plunged into the top of the Walkers skull and she twisted along with a loud crunch. Stepping back and yanking the knife from its head, the Walker fell to the yellow grass underneath it for a long, well rested slumber.

"Harli, come on!" Daryl called while standing in the back of the truck, waving her back over. She saw the spike strips set up in place and smiled to herself, sliding her bloody knife back into its sheath and jogging back to the silver truck. Harli bounced onto the tailgate and her feet dangled from the edge as the group made way back towards the gate above. She watched Carl and Maggie running back to the block yard and Harli bounced on the tailgate from the potholes in the dirt road. Her heart leapt in her chest when she jumped so high she thought she was about to fall off onto the ground. But as she grabbed the side of the truck for comfort, she felt a tug on her jacket's collar and looked over her shoulder to see Daryl cautiously gripping onto her tight.

Harli's eyebrows knitter and she noticed they weren't stopping to let her open the gate. She leaned over the side of the truck to see Rick pulling it open for them and her eyes stayed glued on Rick as they came to a stop. Leaping off the tailgate, Daryl and Glenn followed behind her as Rick approached the three.

"Try to drive up to the gate again maybe some blown tires will stop them." Glenn said as he closed the gap between him and Rick, Daryl by Glenn's side. Rick nodded,

"That's a good idea."

"It was Michonne's." Daryl mumbled and Rick looked over at him, seeing the look in Daryl's eyes. Rick's gaze slowly moved away from the cool shoulder Daryl was giving him.

"We don't have to win. We just have to make them getting at us more trouble than it's worth." Michonne said and Harli observed the guilty look slowly manifesting on Rick's face.

"I think we should build more... you know they're not gonna be bringing just one of two vehicles. Stationing them all over the entrance in the tall grass; they won't know what hit them." Harli crossed her arms and caught Michonne's amused gaze. Harli nodded at her in acknowledgement and her eyes now became set on Maggie and Carl as they walked casually with their rather quiet cooking equipment.

"Let's go." Rick turned around noiselessly and Daryl glanced at Harli before turning around and following after him. Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, Beth, and Carl all pursued after their leader, leaving Harli to slowly walk behind them by herself. She looked over her shoulder with a sigh, pondering on what was coming next.

As she walked into the cellblock, everyone shifted around to find something to do. Harli stepped down the small flight of concrete stairs and her boots thumped soundly against the floor as she walked around everyone. Stopping at the gun cage, she leaned in and grabbed a rifle, tossing the strap around her head to lie securely on her shoulder. She walked into the cellblock and stopped when she heard a familiar voice call her name, "Harli!"

Daryl's voice was stern and she looked up at him as he stood on the perch of the walkway to the upper cells. He flicked his head towards his direction and he disappeared inside his cell; Harli walked up the steel stairs curiously and swung herself up from the railing, stepping towards his cell. She poked her head into the cell, her body soon following and stopped as he turned around. Her eyes lowered to his hands as he held up her bow, a smile halfcocked on his face upon seeing her surprised eyes.

"Doctored it the best I could yesterday while you were workin' on those spike strips with Michonne. I didn't finish it till last night but... I fixed the cam the best I could." He handed it to her and she took it in her hands, studying it closely. She looked back up at Daryl,

"So, it should fire?" She asked and Daryl shrugged his shoulders,

"I tested the drawback and it's pretty smooth. I didn't get a chance to fire it yet; thought I'd leave that part up to you." Harli looked back down at the bow in her fingers, feeling the cool finish gripped in her hands.

"Thank you." She smiled and brought her gaze back to his eyes. He shook his head,

"Ain't no problem." Daryl shifted with a sigh as he shouldered his crossbow, "You see Merle round? I can't find him." Harli stood and stared at him, thinking when the last time she saw his older brother. She shook her head,

"No... not since we were standing watch early this morning."

"Better not be off doin' anything stupid..." He pushed past Harli in the small cell and jogged down the steel steps of the steel walkway. Harli watched him leave the cellblock as she leaned over the railing and then turned around to her cell. She grabbed her quiver of arrows from the corner of the room, tossing the makeshift strap over her shoulder and retreating outside to test out her faithful companion.

She stopped by the back of the large Dodge and rested her quiver on the tailgate, as well as her assault rifle. Grabbing an arrow in her fingers, she docked it on the bowstring and lifted the bow. Harli pulled the bow string back, feeling a slight resistance from the permanently damaged cam. Taking a deep breath, she looked down the sights and brought a Walker's head in them from the other side of the fence. It stood still and continued to snarl at her through the wired fence, its fingers intertwined in the welded wire and body pushing up against the stronghold. Harli's fingers flicked forward and the string released the arrow with a vengeance.

Harli's shoulders dropped and she huffed when she watched the arrow miss its target and pierce the shoulder of the Walker. The Walker stumbled back a couple steps from the impact, but quickly recovered and pushed back up against the fence as if it were antagonizing Harli. Harli grabbed another arrow and docked it quickly, pulling back the string and repeating her process. This time, the arrow missed once again and struck the Walker in the heart. It let out a loud snarl and became more feverish at her attempts to kill it. Harli began to become annoyed at her lack of marksmanship and grabbed yet another arrow,

"Gonna waste your arrows if you keep this up." Harli looked over her shoulder at the soft voice and stared into the dark eyes of Michonne. Harli lowered her bow,

"It's off for some reason." Harli looked back at her bow as if looking for some type of answer. Michonne stopped and leaned on the side of the truck,

"It's not your weapon. It's you." She said plainly and Harli glanced back over at her again. Her gaze dropped back to the bow,

"I used to be so good with it..." Harli mumbled and Michonne nodded,

"When's the last time you used it?"

"The day I got kidnapped and taken back to Woodbury. But, it's been broken since then so I haven't been able to use it. Not like I would've been able to, anyways." Harli's hand brushed over her stomach, remembering how sore she was when she pulled back the bowstring for the first time since her return. "But Daryl fixed it... guess I just have to practice all over again."

Harli watched Michonne walked past her and over towards the fence in a slow and steady walk. Michonne reached out and yanked the arrows from the Walkers body as they stuck through the fence. She returned and held the ends out towards Harli. Harli looked down and took them in her hands, "You and Daryl seem pretty close."

"We've been through a lot together, I guess you could say. It's sort of complicated." Harli set the two arrows back down on the tailgate and Michonne huffed.

"That's what that bite mark on your neck you've been trying so desperately to hide with your hair says, right? "It's complicated"..." Michonne couldn't help but smile and Harli's hand embarrassingly rubbed over the mark on the side of her neck. Harli saw the amused look on Michonne's face and she couldn't help but smile as well,

"That obvious, huh?"

"I've just got a keen eye." Michonne stared at Harli as she dropped her hand, bringing a few locks of hair over the love bite as it slid from her neck. Michonne nodded her head towards the backside of the courtyard, "You still up for making more spike strips?"

"Sure, let's go." Harli set her bow down on the tailgate and left it as she turned to follow Michonne through the courtyard.

**.:O:.**

Harli tapped her fingers annoyingly on the ground where she sat, her chin resting on her hand. With a sharp sigh, she got to her feet and walked to the edge of the wall, looking around for any sign of Michonne. She had been gone for quite a while; Merle had showed up earlier asking her for help with the lower levels of the prison. Harli wanted to go, but Merle insisted she stay behind and that they would be back in a flash. But it had been well over half an hour and Harli was worried something may have happened or they got stuck up in the cellblock doing something else. She wouldn't be able to finish the spike strips by herself. Harli grabbed her rifle, bow, and quiver off the tailgate and retreated inside the block. Harli shut the heavy door behind her and stepped down the small flight of stairs, putting her bow and quiver down on one of the tables.

"Hey Carol, you see Merle around?" Harli asked and leaned over the table, staring into Judith's tired blue eyes. Carol looked up at Harli,

"Daryl said he was down in the generator room. I don't know if he's still down there though."

"I'll go check." Harli shouldered her rifles strap and moved off from the table. Carol jumped to her feet and rocked Judith in her arms,

"Why are you going down there? What do you want from him?" She asked and Harli stopped, turning halfway to face her,

"Was gonna ask him a question." She smiled and nodded her head. Carol's lips drew into a thin line,

"Just... take care of yourself." Carol said with caution and Harli let out a silent sigh of annoyance. She nodded reassuringly at Carol and turned back around, walking through the cell door leading into the tombs.

Harli stepped carefully though the dark hallways, cursing under her breath for not grabbing a flashlight. But the mild amount of windows occupying random areas of the hallways walls provided just enough light to see shadows. She slid her knife from its sheath for extra precaution and turned a corner, seeing no Walkers meandering about the hallway. With a steady breath, she continued across the cold concrete floors towards the open door at the end of the corridor. Harli tilted her head and her fingers tightened around her knife, her eyes quickly acclimating to the abrupt room of light.

"Merle? Are you in here?" Her voice echoed through the room lightly and she stepped in, glancing around. She heard a shuffle of feet and stopped, holding her knife up defensively as she moved around a generator, "Merle?"

Harli finally moved around the generator and looked down at a body lying on the floor. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as a hood was over the woman's head and her hands were tied with wire over her stomach. She saw a pair of dreads peeking out from under the hood and all the gears in her head clicked. "... Michonne?"

A hard forced took Harli by surprise as she was slammed up against the wall, her arm twisted up behind her back. She felt cold metal knock her knife from her free hand and press her hand up against the wall as well. Harli gritted her teeth and pushed back with whatever force she could and struggled to get her arms back. But as she glanced over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of her perpetrator, she heard the familiar raspy voice of the older Dixon brother.

"Not a good time to come lookin' for me. Now I got no choice but to tie you up and lock you down here!"

"Merle!? What the hell are you doing!?" Harli hissed through her clenched teeth and attempted to pull her hand from his stumps compression. Merle jolted her arm upwards and Harli felt a twinge of pain rise in her arm, gasping sharply.

"Don't make me knock you out like I did Michonne. My little brother won't take it too kindly."

"Just get off me! It's not like I'm going to run back to the cellblock to rat you out!"

"I don't know that." Merle huffed and Harli sighed, ending her struggle. She looked at him from the corner of her eye the best she could,

"Just trust me, alright?" She felt him staring hard and hesitantly at her. After a few long moments of contemplating silence, Merle finally let her go and took a couple steps back. Harli wheeled her arm around and stretched it, resting her hand on her shoulder and getting it back into working order. Her eyes angrily looked over at Merle, who only stared at her like a mouse that got caught. "What are you doing with her? With Michonne?"

Merle sighed and motioned his stump blade towards her, "Just gonna... take her on a little walk."

"Bullshit." Harli leaned down and picked up her knife, returning it into its sheath. Merle glared at her and she stared back at him equally. He couldn't help but smile that charming Dixon smirk of his,

"You know your boy Rick is gonna buckle, right? He ain't got the balls to take care of this." Harli stared at him solemnly and her eyes shifted down to Michonne's limp body. With a tightening jaw, she looked back at Merle and slowly nodded,

"So... you're gonna do it?"

"Someone's gotta." He shrugged his shoulder, "Noon is risin' fast and I gotta get her there before The Governor blows dust back to Woodbury."

"All by yourself?" She asked skeptically and Merle gave a slow nod. A hard lump rolled down Harli's throat, "I can't let you do that."

"What? You gonna stop me, girl?" Merle asked amusingly and stepped forward towards her as if it were a challenge. Harli shook her head and stood her ground,

"No... because I'm gonna go with you."

"Woah, woah, woah... that ain't happenin' sweetheart! I'm not gonna be the one responsible for your ass and if somethin' else happens to you under my watch; Daryl's gonna chop my balls off and feed 'em to me!"

"Who cares what Daryl thinks? I'm not gonna let you go off and walk into the lions pit by yourself. You're just signing your own death warrant." Harli argued back with a scoff, "Besides, it's either I come with you or get gagged, bound, and locked in here until someone comes and finds me, right?"

Merle's jaw tightened and he ground his teeth against each other, snatching a few chews on the inside of his cheek. He saw a small smirk form on her face and her lips parted to speak, "Besides... you're gonna need me to get to the meeting place. I know exactly where it is and how to get there fast."

"Alright..." Merle groaned and stared back at her with his icy eyes glaring tediously, "I'll let you tag along. But if I say turn tail and run, you best do it." Merle tossed Michonne's katana towards her and Harli caught it in both of her hands. Merle stepped over Michonne and grabbed one of her feet, "You ain't gonna make me do all the monkey labor. Get your ass over here and grab a foot!"

Harli threw the strap of Michonne's katana over her shoulder and stepped next to Michonne, looking down at her unconscious state. Her green eyes glanced over at Merle and then down at the foot he wanted her to grab. _'Sorry...'_ Harli apologized in her mind and grabbed Michonne's boot, pulling her body along the cold ground. The hood slid off Michonne's head and stayed behind in the generator room.

"You got any keys?" Merle asked as they stopped by a door leading to the backside of the prison. Harli let down Michonne's foot softly and reached into her back pocket, pulling out the noisy keys. Finding the right one, she twisted it through the lock and pulled the door open, Merle hooking both Michonne's feet under his good arm and pulling her out into the sunlight. Harli shut the door and locked it, turning around to see Merle perching Michonne's torso up against the wall. He lightly smacked her face a couple times, "Rise and shine! Time for you to wake up, woman! We ain't gonna drag your ass the entire way now."

Merle shook her shoulder and Michonne's conscious mind began to surface. Her head leaned from side to side, a soft groan rolled up her throat, and her eyes clenched shut from the pain in the back of her head. Michonne's dark eyes suddenly popped open and she stared at Merle and Harli like a deer in the headlights. She growled and gritted her teeth, lunging at Merle in attempts to do some type of bodily harm. Merle only grabbed her by the neck and slammed her back up against the wall, "Can't do much to me when you're all tied up like a hog now."

"What the hell are you two doing!?" She hissed and Merle smirked, grabbing her arm and hoisting her to her feet.

"That ain't none of your concern at the moment. Now start steppin', Sunshine. We got a lot of ground to cover!" Merle grabbed a long wire that hooked to her tied up hands through the opening between her legs. As Michonne didn't move, Merle pushed her along and made her walk in front of the two, holding the long wire leash steadily.

Harli unlocked a corridor gate to the outer perimeters of the prison and Michonne and Merle stepped out, Harli wheeling back and closing the gate. She tucked the keys in her back pocket and jogged after the two marching into the woods. Harli looked over her shoulder at the prison, saying a silent farewell as she didn't know what fate held in store for her. As she found herself back next to Merle, she saw Michonne look over her shoulder with a hostile stare aimed at Harli. Harli immediately diverted her eyes from Michonne shamefully and stared out into the trees, seeing a few meandering Walkers making way towards the prison. It wasn't like she betrayed Michonne's trust. She just needed a moment to explain herself to the katana-wielding woman.

Finally, the trio found the road and began their journey to the meeting place. Michonne stepped so lightly and quietly across the concrete that Harli could barely hear her boot steps on the road. The silence was awkward with the three on their trek. The wind howled and stirred the leaves and dirt plaguing the asphalt, giving Harli's ears some type of refuge from the silence among them. Harli stared in through some abandoned car windows as they passed by, seeing a few decaying bodies being bombarded by swarms of flies.

"So... you two gonna tell me what exactly were all going to do? Why I'm tied up?" She looked over her shoulder at them curiously, searching for some type of answer. Harli sighed and looked into another car as she passed by,

"When we went to meet with The Governor... he set conditions." Her voice filtered through Michonne's ears,

"What kind of conditions?" Michonne hummed and Harli stared at her back. Her words grew hesitant, but ultimately rolled off her tongue smoothly,

"That Rick gives you to him and he leaves us, and the prison, alone." Harli's tone was icy in which she did not intend. The three found themselves in a small neighborhood, Merle and Harli now walking on each side of Michonne. Merle saw the look on Michonne's face,

"I agree with you. He would've blinked!" Merle talked of Rick and Michonne stared back at him,

"But not you two..."

"We're bein' straight with ya!" Merle said and Michonne's tone of voice changed from calm to irate,

"You were straight when you led me into the tombs!"

"Okay, maybe I wasn't straight!" Merle agreed and Michonne continued to dispute with him,

"You put a bag over my head!" Before Michonne passed out she remembered seeing and feeling something being thrown over her head. Harli walked in silence next to the two, letting them hash it out with each other.

"I got it done. He wouldn't of..." Merle said plainly as he spoke of Rick's temptations to buckle under pressure. Merle pushed on her as he noticed Michonne's pace slowing, "Keep movin'..." Merle pulled out his pistol and held it in his hand as he walked, "He was the guy that came back for me on that rooftop. Now... it's all on me. You know... I figure that's why I was back there in the first place; to do the dirty work."

"Walker." Harli nodded her head towards a Walker as it approached them. Merle and Michonne stopped next to her and Merle smiled as he chuckled to himself, an idea popping in his mind. He walked around towards Harli and then looked at Michonne,

"May I?" He asked while tucking his pistol in the waistband of his pants and latching onto the handle of her katana. Before she had the thought of answering, Merle pulled the long sword from its sheath and turned around, "I'll take that as a yes!"

The sheath bounced against Harli's stomach and the two women stood back and watched Merle walk towards the Walker with Michonne's weapon drawn. Harli glanced over at the disgustful expression on Michonne's face at the sight of someone other than her wielding the katana. Harli's green eyes turned back to Merle, "I'm not going to let him hand you over to The Governor, you know." Harli's tone was low, causing Michonne to glance at Harli. Harli's eyes quickly met Michonne's, "I came along to bring you both back with me, _alive._"

"You know what? I would've figured you'd try to take down Harli there and run!" Merle shouted over the wind a bit surprised. The two women looked over at him and Michonne smiled charmingly,

"Wanted my sword back before I get away." She watched Merle walked up to Harli and carefully slide the sword back into the sheath hanging from Harli's shoulder. Merle laughed to himself and nodded at Michonne,

"It may go down that way. But if I were you... I wouldn't get your hopes up..." Merle walked behind Michonne and grabbed the cable leash hooked between her legs. His blue eyes glanced over at Harli,

"Let's go!"

**.:O:.**

"You sure this is the right way?" Merle asked while looking around. The trio wound up in a neighborhood up behind the residential area they had just left. Harli looked back behind her shoulder and nodded,

"Yeah... came through here on the motorcycle." Harli looked back forward and continued to walk, a few good feet in front of Michonne as she now became the leader. She kept a good pace and listened to the wind caress the leaves of the trees in soft whispers.

"Why are you doing this Merle?" Harli heard Michonne ask.

"I already told you."

"No... I mean _why_ are you _really_ doing this?" Michonne reworded and Harli glanced over her shoulder to listen in on his explanation. Merle let out a sigh of discontent and kicked at a rock on the ground,

"I wanna be with my brother... My brother? He wants to be in the prison." Merle paused and caught Harli's eye and she looked back forward as if not even being caught, "This little trip... maybe it'll keep that place standin'. If I pull it off, maybe all is forgivin'."

Harli knew Merle wanted to make things right with the group. He wasn't the type of man who was for apologies, hugs, and kisses. All he wanted in this world was to be with his family; to be with Daryl.

"That's a lot of maybe's..." Michonne mumbled and Merle stopped, staring at a vehicle sitting in a driveway. He looked in Harli's direction, seeing her continuing to walk,

"Hey! Hold up there, Apple Eyes!" He hollered. Harli turned around and saw Merle point to the SUV, knowing he was going to check it. Harli turned back around and walked back towards them, stopping next to Michonne as Merle walked towards the SUV. He glanced back at the women, "You gotta play the hand you're dealt... I only have one."

Merle jogged towards the truck and Harli followed Michonne down the small driveway. He opened the door and leaned in it, but as quickly as he opened the door, he shut it while holding a face of disappointment. Merle walked back towards them and Michonne stopped him with her words, "You talk about the weight of what you have to do... how you can handle it? A bad man, someone truly evil, they're light as a feather. They don't feel a thing."

Merle's lips drew into a thin line and he nodded, looking past Michonne, "I've killed sixteen men since this went down..." He admitted and looked for some type of shocked response coming from the women's faces. Seeing none, he nodded his head, "Let's go."

Snarl's sounded through the woodwork and both Harli and Merle turned to see a horde of Walkers stumbling through the woods behind the house. Merle grabbed Harli's shoulder and pulled her along, Michonne waiting for them at the edge of the driveway patiently. The three broke out into a jog down the street and Harli constantly found herself looking over her shoulder to make sure the Walkers weren't too close for comfort.

"We need to find a vehicle. Only chance we'll make it there in time." Merle huffed and looked over his shoulder, Michonne's leash held tightly in his hand. Harli looked over at him,

"There's a hotel up over this hill with a few cars in the parking lot. If we cut through the trees we might stay off the Walkers trail to give us enough time to get a car started." She nodded her head back forward and Merle smiled,

"How you know bout all this stuff when you've only been there once?" He asked and Harli shrugged a shoulder, looking back at him as she felt Michonne's katana bounce against her hip,

"I've got a keen eye."

The three emerged from the trees, keeping their jogging pace up as they moved towards the motel. It came into view and they passed a gated house before slowing to a walk. Harli took a few deep breaths to steady herself and looked around to make sure no Walkers were occupying the area. She saw two trucks and a couple cars sitting in the parking lot, Merle making way towards a black car with large, shiny rims.

"Alright... I think we're good!" Merle huffed and looked around cautiously. Michonne walked quickly as Merle tugged her along,

"Yeah... we're great."

"Harli... you keep an eye out while I hotwire this damn thing!" Merle tossed Harli a glance and she looked over to see him tying Michonne to one of the support beams of the building. Harli turned around and pulled out her knife warily and kept watch, hearing Merle opening the car door. She wondered how he got into it so fast.

"This place is too quiet..." Harli mumbled to herself, her hair tickling her face as the wind played with it like a child. Harli kept a close eye on Michonne, making sure no Walkers decided to crash the party from the dark depths of the motel rooms. Harli heard a light scratching noise and her head flicked back in front of her only to see leaves dancing about on the concrete. She took a deep breath to calm her rapidly beating heart. Harli turned around when she heard the car beginning to choke to life, and finally, the engine started with a loud rev. A sigh of relief rolled out of her lips and she stepped towards the car.

Harli practically jumped out of her skin when the blaring sound of the car's alarmed echoed deafeningly throughout the empty parking lot. It bounced off the trees, the buildings, and even other cars while stretching out in every direction of the air. Never-ending shivers ran down Harli's spine as she heard growls and snarls echoing back in reply to the vehicles noisy song. Turning around in a full circle, Walkers were now descending upon them from all directions.

"Merle!" Michonne shouted and Harli wheeled around to see her struggling to get out of the wire trap she had been placed in.

Harli jumped towards Michonne, but felt a cold hand on her wrist tug her backwards. Harli rammed her fist into the Walkers face and saw two more lurching towards her. Her hand instantly gripped the handle of Michonne's katana and tore it from its sheath, spinning the blade around and slicing off the heads of the dangerous beings. She panted with pumping adrenaline at the beauty of the weapons deadly grace Harli turned with a yelp to meet yet another Walker and with a one handed swing of the sharp blade, the Walker's head rolled across the ground and came to a stop.

She ran towards Merle once she saw a Walker grabbing at him through the driver's side door. Merle shoved it back with his stump and Harli slashed down on its head, slicing the face clean off. Merle heard Michonne shout for them and turned, his pistol drawn and plugged a bullet through a Walkers head as it grabbed her.

"Let's go!" Harli shouted and Merle ran towards the back of the car, shooting the nearby Walkers that would hinder the cars movements. Harli slid over the hood and sliced Michonne's leash,

"Come on girls, we ain't got time to kiss and make up!" Merle shouted and opened the driver's side door. Harli opened the front passenger's door for Michonne and shut it once she got it. Harli dove into the back seat and slid the katana back into its sheath, kicking a Walker away as it tried to get in the back seat with her. Harli pulled the door shut as Merle rammed his foot down on the accelerator, the car shoving back in reverse. Harli slammed back against the seat as the car shoved forward and out of the parking lot.

"God damn it Merle, you almost got us killed!" Harli shouted and slapped his shoulder, sitting up properly in the back seat and letting out her held breath in an angry huff. Merle rolled his shoulder,

"Don't get your panties in a bunch, Cupcake. You had it under control!" Merle stared at her through the rearview mirror with a charming smile. Harli rolled her eyes and shook her head, staring out the window,

"Take a left up here to take the back road. We'll be there in no time."

The hijacked car sped down the back road and the three sat in silence until Michonne couldn't hold her tongue, "So is this your thing then? Take out the trash?"

"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself, Darlin'." Merle replied calmly and continued to keep his eyes on the road.

"The Governor? Rick? Anyone who needs their piss bucket emptied and you come a-runnin'." Michonne looked over at him and Merle smiled, but stayed silent. Michonne glanced back out through the windshield, "Things are different for your brother."

"Yeah they are. Rick says "jump" and he wants to know how high."

"Rick needs him. Respects him." Michonne quickly disagreed with a shake of her head, "Didn't ask him to this little job now did he?"

"Nah... cuz he wants it done."

"You keep tellin' yourself that." Michonne said amusingly and paused for a moment while staring at him, "The truth is, this could've been your shot. With your skills... a whole new beginning. But you choose to stay on the outside. No one's gonna mourn you... not even Daryl. He's got a new family." Michonne shook her head and looked out the window. Her last statement caused Harli to glance at her from the corner of her eyes. Michonne spoke with such harsh terms; but then again, she didn't bother to hold anything back.

"You keep tryin' to get under my skin I'm gonna cut that tongue out." Merle looked over at Michonne, "Your buddy's turnin' you over cuz he's tryin' to save his own ass. You're as much on the outside as I am, girl."

"Maybe... but once The Governor's done with me at least I won't have to live with myself." Michonne bit back and looked at him. Harli shifted uncomfortably in her seat and kept an eye out for signs of the next turn off. But she couldn't help but keep listening in on their conversation. She wanted to say something to make them stop, but nothing came to mind at that moment. Michonne started asked the questions that Harli was burning to ask Merle herself.

"You said you killed... sixteen men since this thing started? You ever kill anyone before?"

"No..." Merle said briefly while staring over at her and catching and eyeful glance from Harli in the backseat. He chewed on his lip and stared back at the road,

"And how bout before Woodbury?" Michonne asked curiously and Merle shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "Before you met _him_?" Merle only stared at the road ahead and didn't answer. But he gave his answer to Michonne and she hummed, "So he saved your life, cleaned you up, fed you a line of bullshit... why would you kill somebody else for him?" Merle continued to hold his silence as he, himself, didn't know the answer to that question.

"You know we can go back." Michonne pursued and Merle smiled, shaking his head,

"Ain't happenin'."

"All three of us... we can just _go back_." Michonne stared at him and Merle shook his head, opening his mouth and hesitating to speak. Finally, words formed on his tongue,

"I can't... _go back_. Don't you understand that? I can't!" There was a long pause from Merle and Michonne closed the silence,

"Why?" Michonne asked and Merle shoved his foot on the brakes and the car gradually came to a stop. Harli bounced off the backseat and stared at Merle as he turned halfway in his seat, glaring at Michonne. Harli heard a _snap_ and saw Michonne lift her hands and pull her fingers from the wire around her hands. Harli looked as equally confused as Michonne was as the two women stared at Merle,

"You two go back with him. Get ready for what's next." Merle nodded and shifted a brief gaze onto Harli. He then leaned over Michonne and opened the door, shoving it open for her, "I got somethin' I gotta do _alone_." Michonne continued to stare at him, hesitant to get out of the vehicle. Merle nodded at her and finally, she exited the vehicle and stood outside the door.

"You too there, Sweetheart." Merle looked over the seat at Harli.

"Not on my life." Harli spoke and glared back at him with her burning green eyes. Merle leaned on the back of his seat,

"You're not goin'... not this far."

"I'm not leaving you by yourself. If something were to happen to you I wouldn't be able to forgive myself... and neither would Daryl."

"Get the hell out of the car." He growled at her as if trying to intimidate the girl. Harli only shook her head, planting herself heavily in the seat. Her stubbornness was something that no one should reckon with. "Don't do this."

"You try and get me out of this car you can kiss one of your kneecaps goodbye." Harli threatened towards Merle huffed and shook his head, looking out the window on the driver's side door,

"Give her that damn sword so we can get outta here..." He mumbled and Harli rolled down the window to her door, Michonne closing hers as she looked at Harli,

"Don't do this. Come back with me." She asked and Harli shook her head, handing her the katana through the window.

"You and everyone else might not like Merle... might not like the things he did. But he's a good man and he's only trying to do what's right." Harli stared into Michonne's dark eyes and she sighed, nodding and looking down at her feet.

"Take care of yourself." Harli heard the concern in her voice and she nodded, rolling up the window. She looked at Merle from the back seat,

"Let's go..."

**.:O:.**

They were almost there; almost to the meeting place where The Governor and his men had awaited.

The two survivors made a quick pit stop at a local liquor store and Harli had retrieved a half a bottle of whiskey for Merle upon request. The two sat for a while, in the odd comfort of blaring loud music, while Merle drank most of the bottle of liquor. He attracted numerous Walkers that pounded on the vehicle, Harli wondering what exactly Merle had planned. As she refused his offer of a drink of whiskey, Merle threw the car in drive and off they went. The car drove slowly for the rest of the mile that stood between them and The Governor, the Walkers keeping pace with them along the way. Finally, they rolled in through the large gins that towered over them, the music blaring throughout the shambles of the old, rusty building.

"Get in the back seat and wait on my signal!" Merle shouted over the loud music and Harli jumped into the back seat, her rifle thumping against her back. She leaned on the door and watched Merle, who leaned on his and watched patiently for the right moment, "Now!" The two shoved open their doors and Harli rolled across the ground, hearing the car continuing to roll on without Merle's control.

Harli got to her feet and Merle waved at her quickly to follow him, the two jumping in between two large gins. Harli looked over her shoulder, seeing that the Walkers ignored them and continued on with the car. She followed Merle closely and as quietly as possible, ducking down as they left the comfort of the gins and made way towards a building. Harli yanked her rifle off her back and tucked it under her shoulder, watching Merle open the makeshift door and peek inside. Once safe, Merle looked over his shoulder and nodded at Harli to follow. She shut the door quietly behind her and her boots trekked lightly across the boarded floors, Merle stopping and turning to face her. He grabbed her arm and shoved her into a small metal closet in the corner of the room,

"What the-!?" Her protests became muffled by Merle's hand as he clasped it down on her mouth. She sat on the ground, her hands gripped on the outside of the closet space. Merle leaned in,

"Now you're gonna sit tight and stay put in here until I'm done. If anything happens, you turn tail and run as fast as your spider legs can carry you back to that prison. In no way, shape, or form will you leave this closet until I come and get you, you understand me?" He explained and Harli saw the dead seriousness in his eyes. A hard lump hung in her throat and she let out her held breath, nodding at him under his hand. She pulled her hands into the closet and rested her rifle against her shoulder. Merle stood up and shut the creaky door and left her in the darkness.

Harli leaned forward and stared through the crack of the closet, seeing Merle hunkered down and staring out a window. He quickly turned and moved to another, raising his rifle and aiming it out. As Harli heard rifles being blasted off outside, she knew that The Governor's men had discovered the car and the Walkers along with it. She jumped slightly at the loud sound of Merle's rifle going off in consecutive shots. Harli knew what he was doing now. He was taking out The Governor's men; his own rifle shots being muffled by the enemies own. They had no idea what they were in for.

Merle moved quickly to the next window and pointed his rifle out through the pain of glass. At each firing shot he took at the Woodburians with expert precision, Harli jumped at the sound of his gunshots. _'Come on Merle... hurry up so we can get home!'_ Harli thought to herself, hearing the rifle pop off a few more shots until Merle stopped to adjust his scope. The rifle threw out the bullet and Harli just about leapt from her place as she saw a Walker lunge at Merle. It grabbed onto his arm and bit at him, but Merle shoved it back and sliced at its face. He rammed his blade forward and shoved the Walker back, Merle disappearing from Harli's sight. She heard a loud crash and saw bright light bursting through the doorway in which Merle and Harli had entered.

Merle's shouts reached Harli's ears and her heart began to pound against her sternum. Merle had been found out. She could hear the thumps against his body from whoever beat him and the painful shouts that Merle barked. "You leave him to me!" Harli heard a new voice shout and a stumbling commotion enter back into the building. Harli lurched back into the closet and gasped, seeing Merle being thrown back into the room as he was knocked to the ground.

The Governor stepped in and kicked Merle in the jaw, his head cocking as he fell back to the floor.

Merle rolled back over to his side and The Governor kicked him sharply in the ribs with the tip of his boot. Harli pulled her pistol from its holster and held it out in front of her, hearing Merle's painful cries as he tried to fight back. Merle slammed his metal stump against The Governor's leg, but it had no effect and The Governor shoved his foot down on Merle's chest, making the man choke out for air. Harli stuck the end of her pistol through the crack of the door and aimed her sights at The Governor, her hand beginning to shake uncontrollably. Fear washed over her quick as she watched Merle get to his feet and slam up against The Governor, the two intertwining with each other and disabling her from getting a good shot. The Governor punched Merle in his face and rammed him up against a table, Merle putting his hand against The Governor's face to try and keep him at bay. The Governor's mouth latched onto Merle's pinky and ring finger, biting down on them with brutal force. Merle let out a desperate shout and The Governor tore his mouth from Merle's hand, his two fingers along with it.

Harli squeezed her eyes shut upon watching The Governor spit out Merle's fingers and head-butt him with nothing but blunt force and ruthlessness. She held her breath and pressed her hand against her mouth to muffle the whimpers that tried to escape her lips. A grotesque snap of bones breaking echoed through the room and Harli managed to tear her eyes open to gather what was going on. The Governor stood with his hand on Merle's neck, Merle choking out for some type of refuge from the pain. Harli's legs shook in anticipation. Merle was caught and she needed to move, she needed to do something to help him but her body wouldn't have any of it. Her brain didn't want to listen to Merle's voice in her head telling her to stay and her body locked her into place, making sure she didn't move a muscle as things went silent.

"I ain't gonna beg!" Merle choked out with a crack in his voice, but he stayed strong. "I ain't beggin' you!" His venomous voice growled and The Governor shook his head,

"No..."

Harli's ears rang and her eyes widened, watching Merle's body fall to the ground with a loud thump. She stopped breathing, nothing on her body moved, and all she could do was stare at the unfolded event in front of her. She saw The Governor move over Merle's body and stare down at him, his pistol down at his side. He tilted his head, "Now you can rot where you lie, you traitorous dog..."

The Governor stepped over Merle's body and disappeared from Harli's sight. She waited a few moments in silence and heard his calm footsteps disappear from her ears reach. Her fingers clawed at the door and she opened it, stopping for a moment as she gauged any hostile sounds around her. Harli immediately jumped out of the cubbyhole and tucked her pistol back into its holster. She kept her body low as she rushed towards Merle's side, falling to her knees as she crouched down next to him. Her hand yanked out a black handkerchief from Merle's pocket and she pressed it down on the gunshot wound in his chest.

"I'm gonna get you outta here Merle." Her voice wavered as her mind scrambled on what to do. His breathing was labored and with each breath Harli heard him gargle on his blood. Her heart pounded,

"I told you... to get your ass outta here!" He breathed and moaned from an abrupt pain in his chest. Harli shook her head,

"I can't leave you!"

"Bitch... I'm done for! He s-shot me in my lung!" Merle grabbed Harli's shoulder and she stared into his blue eyes, seeing his pupils beginning to dilate. "Now you get the hell outta here... be for he comes back!"

Harli closed her eyes and brought her now bloody hand to her face, shaking her head and holding her breath. Warmth crawled up her throat and she felt her eyes watering, knowing that there was not one more thing she could do. Harli took a deep breath and put her hand down, seeing Merle gritting his teeth and a soft nod come from his head, "Now you do one... one more thing for me. Y-you take care of Daryl, keep an eye on my little brother... I won't be able to anymore."

"What am I going to do when I get back? Daryl... what will I do about Daryl?" She choked out and Merle snorted, blood spurting out from his nose and mouth.

"He's got a new family now..."

"Merle?" Harli watched as Merle's eyes glazed over and felt his damaged hand slide off her shoulder and thump onto the floor. He didn't blink, he didn't twitch, and he didn't spit off one last sarcastic remark. Merle was dead.

Harli huffed and the control on her eyes broke, tears rolling off her cheeks and onto his body. She swiped her hand across her face, wiping away the tears on her cheeks and leaning down. Harli's hand rested over Merle's eyes and her fingers pulled his eyelids down for his final rest. She pressed her lips against his forehead and leaned back up, sliding her knife from its sheath. She had to end his transformation before it had the chance to take him. Harli glanced at the knife and then back at Merle's bloody face, "I'm sorry, Merle..."

"Hey!"

Harli's head turned in the direction of the new voice, seeing one of The Governor's men staring at her down the barrel of his gun, "We've got a live one over here!" His partner shouted and they rushed towards Harli.

Harli jumped to her feet frantically and took off in the other direction. As she ran deeper into the building, it grew darker and she could hear the men's boots thumping closely behind her. Harli slammed into a table and tossed it out of her way, hearing it explode against a wall. She saw a stream of light peeking out from under a door and her legs pumped faster as she rammed into the door, busting it open. Harli stepped out into the light on the other side of the building, stopping briefly to determine where she would go to next. The Woodburians were on her like a pack of hound dogs and she would only have a split second to retreat into the woods before they unleashed a fury of bullets.

Harli yelped loudly as she was slammed onto the ground and she clawed at the grass to get out from under the heavy body on her back. She felt a hand hook onto the belt of her black shorts and yank her backwards, dirt digging under her fingers nails. The harsh grass scraped against her belly as her tank top rolled up a couple inches and she found a pair of hands latch around her waist, hoisting her to her feet.

"You're not getting away from me this time." A rough voice whispered in her ear from behind. Her spine shivered out of fear as she knew far too well who held the voice: The Governor.

Harli gritted her teeth and rammed the back of her head against his face, feeling his arms loosen around her waist. Upon hearing his cry of pain, Harli thrashed about to get out of evil arms and make a run for it. The Governor growled and jabbed his elbow in between her shoulders; a strike of pain and a brief sense of paralysis overtook her as she felt to the ground. Her instincts kicked in and she flipped around on her back, her rifles steel digging into her back. She yanked her pistol from the holster and pointed it at The Governor, but he jumped on her and diverted the gun just as she pulled the trigger. Harli struggled against his strength and used both her hands to slowly and steadily pull her pistol back towards her; back towards The Governor. Now may be her last chance to kill him.

Harli pulled the trigger and The Governor shouted in pain, Harli quickly squirming out from under him as she saw the Woodburians scrambling to get to their fallen leader. Harli whirled around on her stomach and kicked her legs under her, jumping to her feet and running for her life. She tossed her hands over her head as a spray of bullets whizzed past her, her ears throbbing from the violent sounds of the guns blazing after her. She quickly dove around the corner of the building huffing with brief refuge from the looming men.

"After her, quick!"

"No!" The men stopped as they heard The Governor shout sternly at them, slowly rising to his feet as he held his stomach. He wobbled for a moment once getting to his feet, staring out in the direction Harli had escaped. "Let her have a few more hours to taste the last of her freedom. She and the rest of her group will pay for what they have done to us; to Woodbury."

"You okay, sir?" Martinez asked and glanced down at the wound he pressed his hand on. The Governor smiled charmingly at his men as they stared at the light amount of blood seeping through his clothing,

"Nothing but a flesh wound."


	38. Chapter 38

**AN: Okay... even though I never liked Andrea much, she made me cry SO BAD. She was actually coming around and then they had to go kill her off! I seriously did not see that coming at the end. Poor Milton too :(**

**Yay! I'm on Spring Break! Everyone's out partying and I'm just sitting in my room writing fanfiction...**

**Enjoy the finale chapter! I was hoping the finale was gonna be more brutal, but oh well! It was still good. I'm really going to miss you guys... and writing this story. Keep in touch by reading my original story **_**Dirt and Roses**_** and my new TWD story **_**The Reapers Lullaby**_** that has been published along with this new chapter! If anyone would like to add me on Facebook, please PM me and let me know :) I really do love keeping in touch with my fans!**

**See you guys in 7 months! (Goes into hibernation until October) I love you all and thank you for making my story so big!**

**Soundtrack: Broken (Ft. Amy Lee) by Seether**

Harli's legs bounded as fast and far as they could reach across the ground.

Not once did she look over her shoulder since leaving the run down farm factory. She kept her arms pumping, her legs running, and her eyes forward. No gunshots echoed through her ears and she didn't even know if The Governor and his men were using the time to come after her.

Everything was going wrong.

Harli's eyes found pavement and gradually, her legs slowed to a stop at the edge of the forest. Her chest pumped up and down with air, her lungs trying to catch up with her body. For the first time, she managed to tear her tired gaze over her shoulder and looked off into the woods. Nobody followed her by what she could see. Harli turned back and her legs carried her heavy body in a slow walk, her hand running through her hair as she stared at the dirty concrete below her. Closing her eyes, all she could see was Merle's dying face; blood seeping out of his wounds and the chilling sound of him drowning in his own blood.

Harli dropped to her knees, feeling the concrete scrapping her skin as she fell. Everything caught up to her at once; reality hit her as she dug her face in the palm of her hands, hunching over the concrete. Tears ran uncontrollably from her eyes and she felt a soft, wet object in the palm of one of her hands. Bringing her hands from her cheeks, she stared at the ball of black fabric clenched tightly in her fingers. She realized what it was and she gasped, her clawing fingers loosening and revealing its bloody state. Harli forgot she still held the black rag she had snatched from Merle's pocket to try and stop the bleeding from his chest wound. It was soaked in his blood and stained Harli's hand mercilessly. She wiped her cleaner hand across her cheek and realized more blood stained her than she realized.

Harli began to sob and leaned forward, resting her forehead on her arms, the tip of her nose touching the concrete. Unwelcomed sorrow took over her mind and all she thought about was the situation that unfolded only minutes before. She blamed herself for it; for not doing anything to stop The Governor. She could have easily jumped out of the closet and shot him where he stood. Merle would still be alive if she had done _something_; but she had to be weak and shake like a beaten dog in the corner, staring in fear at the man that beat her, raped her, and killed her family without a second thought of mercy. The Governor wanted Merle to suffer and he wanted Merle to turn; it was the worst thing he could've done beside kill him. It was even worse for Harli that she didn't end his transformation before it started.

'_What am I going to do...? What will I do?'_ Harli repeated over and over in her head, wiping her hand down her face as she lifted back up to her knees. She stared down the endless road through the blurry veil of her eyes, pondering on what she was going to do when she got back to the prison. What was she going to tell Daryl? How is she going to deal with the pain and loss of his big brother? That was her biggest concern, as well as her own nightmare. It had been a long time since she had to deal with Daryl's unstable state.

Harli held her breath and her eyes popped open once she heard and all-too familiar sound. She lifted herself up and turned her head, her eyes finding a Walker trudging towards her on the road. It hissed and approached her quickly, smelling the fresh blood all over her skin. Its ravenous jaws chomped at the bit and Harli stared as it towered over her. She sat still as the Walker stumbled down, grabbing her shoulders and gripping them tight. Harli stared into its pale silver eyes as its face inched closer to hers, seeing nothing but death and lust in them. She felt the Walker's teeth graze her neck and shoved it to the side with her hands, crawling back on her hands and getting to her feet. The Walker clawed at her while getting to its knees, Harli staring down at it with shaking hands. She couldn't believe she let it get so close to biting her.

"You rotten piece of shit!" She shouted and kicked the Walker's body as hard as she could, watching it fall back to the ground. Harli shoved her foot down on its back over and over, watching it lunge from the heaviness of her kicks. All the anger pent up in her core released all at once and her fingers latched onto the Walkers clothing, yanking it on its back. She slipped her knife from its sheath and jumped onto the Walker, raising her arm up above her head.

Harli jammed her knife into the Walkers head, her skin shivering with delight at the Walkers demise. With a loud crunch, she ripped her knife from the Walkers forehead and rammed her knife back into its head. Harli pulled the blade out again and got lost in her bloodlust, her eyes seeing nothing but red as she felt her hand jab the Walker countlessly. All she could hear were her grunts of frustration and the blade crunching in through the Walkers skull, her arm aching with the knife's reverberations. Slowly, her vision regained composure and she stared at the mangled flesh that once was the Walkers face. Harli continued to pant as she saw its black blood spattered all over her arms; the knife ridiculously stained with its skulls innards. She got to her feet once again and her eyes were glued to the corpse, her feet moving on their own as she took a few steps back.

Harli's eyes narrowed when she felt something leathery in her fingers, moving her eyes down as she lifted her hand. She gasped and dropped the body part to the ground, staring in awe at what she had done in her sane absence. The lower jaw of the Walker's face lied at its feet, Harli's eyes quivering at the thought of her cutting the jaw off its face as some type of trophy. Clenching her eyes shut and feeling her stomach getting queasy, she stepped past the Walker and walked slowly down the road. Her hand moved to the back pocket of her shorts where she tucked Merle's bloody black do-rag for safe keeping. Forgetting about the dripping blood on her knife, she slid it back into its sheath and continued walking, her steps turning into a fast pace towards the prison.

Her rifle thumped annoyingly on her back, the cold steel of her pistol digging into her lower spine, and the knife in its sheath pounding rebelliously against her bare thigh. More anger throbbed through her veins and Harli refused to let her head lose its control again. So her legs broke out into a jog, her chocolate brown hair sliding from around the collar of her black jacket and bouncing against her shoulders. Her boots almost hit the concrete soundlessly; she was going to run the anger out of her, no matter how tired her body became.

**.:O:.**

Harli stared at the front gates yet again, her tired eyes falling on the fencing that led up to the prison. Walkers meandered about the entrance, their eyes slowly falling on Harli as she marched down the dirt road. Her fingers dug into her front pocket and she pulled out the small ring of padlock keys, fiddling with them until she found the right ones. Her eyes moved up briefly to keep a watchful glare on the Walkers as they moved towards her; some fast and some slow. She stopped and shoved the key into the lock that kept the undamaged corridor safe for travel. A loud snarl erupted from behind her and she whipped around, ramming her boot into a Walker's chest and knocking it to the ground. Harli's hair brushed back against her face as she turned and slipped through gate, slamming it closed just as the Walkers crashed against it. She quickly and carefully wrapped the chain back around the posts, snapping the lock shut and watching the Walkers snap their jaws and chew on the fencing to get to her.

Harli trudged towards the upper gate, hearing her boots crunching against the gravel below her feet. She kept her eyes low and her hand gripped on the strap of her rifle, coming to a stop once reaching the gate after a few minutes. As she slid through the gate, Harli stared up at the guard tower, seeing Rick's familiar face staring down at her. She quickly ignored him and headed towards the cellblock, seeing the heavy iron door waiting for her.

"Harli!?" She heard Rick call from atop the guard tower; glancing over her shoulder and seeing him disappear from the railway back into the top room. Harli stepped up the stairs quickly and pulled open the heavy door, the cool room of the prisons lounging area rushing onto her hot skin. Pushing the door shut, she moved down the stairs and past the metal tables, feeling everyone's eyes on her. They all stared at the blood on her clothes and skin, not knowing if she was the one injured or not. Glenn looked to the door, waiting for Merle to move in after her.

"Harli? Are you alright?" Maggie stood up, looking at Harli as she pushed past Michonne and disappeared through another door. Maggie exchanged a worried stare with Hershel; Michonne pushing off the wall and following after Harli.

Harli stopped in the washroom, staring into a broken mirror and seeing her disheveled appearance. Her eyes immediately searched for a towel and she leaned over a deep sink, turning the old faucet and watching the water barely run. Rick only allowed one generator on to conserve energy and fuel. The generator provided just enough power to run a shower or two at the same time.

Harli grabbed the shredded shambles of a towel and dipped it under the water, watching as the fabric's color quickly turned to a darker shade. She draped the towel over one of her hands and began to scrub the damp cloth against her arms, watching Merle's dry blood being rid from her flesh. Her skin began to become irritated from the abrasiveness of the wet towel, Harli dipping it back under the water and moving to her face. Harli halted once she saw a pair of eyes staring back at her in the mirror, her chest slowly lifting from over the sink. Michonne leaned on the wall behind her, her dark eyes boring into Harli's. A pair of heavy boots echoed through the dark hallways and the women both looked towards the door, seeing Rick slowly walking into the room. He gripped his rifle tightly and immediately stared at Harli, his eyes traveling to all the bloody spots on her body as if trying to search for any wounds. His blue eyes moved to hers,

"You alright?" He asked while stepping towards her slowly, Harli whipping back around to the sink and beginning to scrub her chest under her jacket,

"I'm fine." She replied plainly, looking into the shattered mirror and seeing both Michonne and Rick stopping closely behind her. Rick hesitated, but asked the ultimate question,

"Where's Merle? Did he let you go, too?" Rick watched Harli's shoulders freeze and listened to the water run lightly into the sink. Slowly, Harli's arms lowered and the edge of the towel ticked the bottom of the sink. Rick watched Harli shake her head,

"No... He didn't." Her voice mumbled sadly. Rick took another couple steps forward, resting his rifles strap on his shoulder.

"Where is he?"

"Dead." Harli spat out, dropping the towel and gripping the sides of the sink with her hands. Rick narrowed his eyes and stepped next to her,

"What?" Rick asked shockingly while staring at her. Harli pulled her head up, her eyes beginning to redden upon thinking about the situation. She looked at Rick,

"The Governor... The Governor killed him..." Harli breathed, staring into his eyes. Rick's jaw tightened and his Adam's Apple bobbed insecurely upon seeing the disastrous look in her green eyes. Slowly, her gaze moved back to the bottom of the sink, Harli hearing Michonne shifting behind her. "I didn't do anything to stop him..." Harli closed her eyes and Rick saw a tear break away from her eyes and drip into the wet sink. Rick put a hand on her shoulder,

"Don't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault-"Harli tore herself from his grasp and shoved him away, Rick taking a couple steps back from the force of her hand. Her eyes burned with hysteria,

"I sat there and _watched_ as The Governor beat the living hell out of him, bite off two of his fingers, break his arm, and then shoot him in the chest!" Her voice shouted and her eyes drained the tears from her ducts, "I didn't do a thing to stop him!"

Michonne and Rick only stared at her, both of them not knowing what to say to her. Harli pressed her hand against her eyes and dug her fingers against her eyelids, trying to calm her hysteria. She took a deep breath and lowered her hands, opening her red eyes to face Rick, "What am I going to tell Daryl?" She asked the ultimate question that burned her heart inside and out. Rick only shook his head,

"I don't know."

"I don't think you'll have to say anything..." Michonne voiced and both Rick and Harli glanced over at her. Michonne's face was solemn, holding hints of empathy for Harli, as she let out a sigh, "When Merle let me out... I ran into Daryl. I told him Merle let me go and that you went with him. He told me not to let anyone come after him and ran off."

"You let him go by himself?" Rick turned towards Michonne, staring at her with narrowed eyes. Michonne looked back at him,

"There wouldn't have been anything I could've done." Michonne shook her head, her voice soft with reason. Rick huffed and looked back at Harli, seeing the far off look on her face,

"So... Daryl went?" Harli's mind panicked at the thought and she leaned back over the sink, closing her eyes and dipping her head. A sharp thought of him running into The Governor and his men crossed her mind, making her eyes open and a hand wipe down her hot face. "Rick..." She breathed and she looked over at him, watching Rick take a couple steps towards her, "What are we going to do?"

Rick knew what Daryl was capable of and that he could handle himself. But the thought of his right hand man, and surrogate brother, running into The Governor by himself also crossed his mind. Daryl was smarter than that. But when it came to his brother, knowing that Merle might be in trouble, Daryl was just as unpredictable as the enemy. Rick took an undecided breath and briefly exchanged glances with Michonne,

"If he's not back by dark... we go to the silos to look for him." He looked back to Harli reassuringly and nodded his head, "You finish gettin' yourself cleaned up... I'll go make sure someone gets some food ready for you. You need to get some rest for now if we decide to go look for him later."

Harli took a deep breath and nodded in agreement, looking back into the sink and listening to Rick's footsteps fade back down the hallway. Harli brought her eyes to the mirror and stared at her bloody face, her hand automatically reaching for the towel as she lazily began to dab at her face. Michonne continued to stand behind her, leaning back on the wall and watching her carefully. Harli knew she wanted to talk about Merle,

"What'd he do?" Michonne asked, "After you two got to the meeting place?"

"Shoved me in a closet, made me stay there." She tossed the towel on the side of the deep sink and pulled the bloody bandana-like cloth from her back pocket. She unfolded it in front of her, staring at the bloody dampness of it in her hands, "He began shooting... taking out The Governors men from a broken window. Eight shots... I counted eight shots." She breathed and felt the coolness of the water strike her hands as she began to wash out all the blood of Merle's old cloth. Harli scrubbed it until the water ran clean through the thin veil of cloth, seeing Michonne's eyes lower to the ground through the mirror. Harli shut off the water and squeezed the cloth into a ball, ringing it out and ridding it of all excess water.

Harli turned around to face Michonne, Michonne's eyes glancing back up at her. Harli fiddled with the damp cloth in her hand, looking down at it, "I know you, out of everyone, must've hated him the most... for what he did; tried to kill you, you know? I just wish people saw the side of him I did... then maybe... he'd still be with us."

"I did." Michonne's voice slithered into Harli's ears, making her look back into her dark eyes. Michonne stepped towards her slowly, yet casually, the katana swinging on her shoulder, "I know what kind of man Merle was... what he was willing to sacrifice for his brother and the group even though he didn't show it. I may not have trusted him much... but I long forgave him for what he did."

"I bet he would've liked to know that..." Harli squeezed the black cloth in her hands and smiled weakly, staring back into Michonne's empathetic eyes.

She may have had a hard exterior and didn't talk much, but she was probably the most understanding out of everyone in the entire group. Michonne walked forward and stopped a couple feet away from Harli, "Daryl will be just fine..."

"Not if he finds Merle..." Harli shook her head and stared at Michonne for a few moments, "I didn't end him after he died..." She then broke the gaze and turned around, leaving through the hallway back to the cellblock.

**.:O:.**

Daryl walked through the darkness, the moon lighting him a path down the dirt road leading back to the prison. His eyes hurt, his chest hurt, and his legs hurt. He'd been walking for hours, his pace sluggish and weak as he walked down the road aimlessly. His crossbow patted his back as he walked, trying to comfort its master as it knew that devastation laid wake through Daryl's core. Daryl's blue eyes looked up through the corridor of trees, seeing the prison standing proudly behind its broken gates. He noticed the little black specks of Walkers meandering about in the prison yard, quickly noting none of them had inhabited the driveway leading to the top gates.

Daryl's boots crunched against the gravel as he made his way up towards the gate. He could hear Walkers snarling and hissing as they began to take notice to his delightful smell, exchanging annoyed glares at them as he passed by. He swiped the keys Rick had given him before he left from his pocket, reaching his hand out and grabbing the collar of a Walker. He gritted his teeth and yanked the Walker back, shoving the key into the padlock and stripping the chain from the post. Daryl felt a hand grip his leather sleeve and a low growl escaped his throat as he turned and kicked the female Walker in the chest. It fell with a grunt and Daryl slipped through the gate, Walkers beginning to crowd around as he locked it shut.

Daryl wiped the back of his hand against his eyes, feeling the hot tears sting his cold skin as he approached the cellblock. He huffed and regained his composure quickly so that he could avoid any unwanted questions. All he wanted to do was be alone; to mourn the loss of his brother and mend the deep wound that was left in his heart. He chewed on the inside of his cheek and yanked open the heavy iron door, seeing a soft light in the commons of the cellblock. He came to an abrupt stop as he saw Rick and Michonne, bags and guns on their shoulders, stopping upon hearing the door. Slowly, Daryl stepped out of the shadows, his eyes glaring at them as he stopped atop the stairs.

"Daryl..." Rick felt a hard lump wage war in his throat, "We were just gettin' ready to come look for you..." Rick's voice was soft and Daryl stepped down the stairs lightly, his boots barely audible through the room. Carol sat on a bench, feeding Judith a bottle, and Glenn sat with Hershel on another, all their eyes staring at Daryl.

Rick watched as Daryl stopped in front of both him and Michonne, Daryl giving an icy glare to both of them. Daryl pushed past Rick and everyone else, fading into the shadows of the cellblock. His fingers grabbed onto the railing as he pulled himself of the stairs to the upper cells, turning the corner and walking across the catwalk slowly, careful not to wake anyone below. He stopped in the doorway of his cell, staring at his bed in which was occupied by another being. There Harli lied, passed out on the lower mattress with a crossbow bolt lazily clasped in her fingers. Daryl stepped back, keeping a watchful eye on her to make sure he didn't wake her up. He turned back around and left the catwalk, walking back down the stairs and through the cellblock.

A rush of the cool night air hit Daryl's burning face as he yet again, left the cellblock. He walked slowly out into the yard, glancing up at the deep blue sky briefly before letting his gaze fall. His blue Dixon eyes fell upon Merle's motorcycle as it sat lonesome next to the silver Dodge. With a deep sigh, Daryl walked up to the motorcycle, yanking the black crossbow off his shoulder and setting it down next to the bike. He wheeled around and sat on the concrete, leaning back against the motorcycle and letting out a sigh of relief. Daryl rested his head on the gas tank and closed his eyes, feeling warmth of yet another breakdown crawling up the back of his throat. He took a deep breath to calm himself, wanting to avoid the unwelcome sorrow of possibly the biggest loss of his life. Choking down the grief, he opened his eyes when he heard the heavy door to the cell block opening and closing quietly.

His keen eyes quickly deciphered the face as Harli's as she approached slowly, her long tan legs stretching out from under the bagginess of a sweatshirt. She was barefooted and she walked quietly, her pace slowing as she got closer to him. Her chocolate brown hair waved in a soft breeze, her bangs exposing her face as her green eyes glistened in the moonlight. Harli stopped a couple feet in front of him, letting out a sigh of relief upon seeing his untouched condition, "I'm glad you're alright..." She mumbled down at him, seeing his eyes move away from her gaze.

"Yeah... well I ain't." His gruff voice whispered and Harli's eyebrows creased on her face. She swallowed dryly as she saw the look on his face and felt the coldness in his presence. Harli's lips parted with hesitation on her tongue, but ultimately, they managed to slide off quietly.

"Merle... he... he-"

"I killed him." Daryl's voice cracked and Harli's heart dropped through her ribs into the pit of her stomach. Daryl shook his head, "He was already Walker when I found him... took a bullet to the chest." She watched Daryl's hand wipe over his face quickly and Harli crossed her arms, bringing her fingers to her mouth as they rested on her lips.

"Daryl... I'm so sorry..." Harli choked out and closed her eyes, "I tried to do something... but I just couldn't." She saw Daryl look up at her and the unknown look in his eye started to scare her. She choked down the tears that were trying to dispense from her eyes.

"Tell me what happened." Daryl's raspy tone demanded and Harli shifted uncomfortably on her feet. For the first time in a long time, she wished she could avoid Daryl's cold gaze entirely.

"After he let Michonne go... we went to a marketplace and gathered Walkers. I didn't know exactly what the plan was at the time... but when he started driving towards the meeting place, keeping the Walkers hot on our tails, I had some idea." Harli tucked her bangs behind her ear and stared at the motorcycle that Daryl leaned on, "We got to the silos... ditched the car and went into one of the buildings. He shoved me into a small closet, told me to keep quiet and stay put. I watched through the crack of the door... he started shooting Woodburians left and right. A Walker came out of nowhere and attacked him; he managed to kill it but blew his cover. The Governor got a hold of him..."

Harli glanced back at Daryl, seeing nothing but his piercing eyes pressing her forward to continue. Harli closed her eyes as she relived the carnage, her skin crawling at the sight of The Governor in her mind, "He started beating him mercilessly... Merle fought back but couldn't keep up. I... I pulled out my pistol and aimed it at The Governor, but my hands started shaking. I didn't want to risk hitting Merle... so I just sat there and _watched_. It was so..." Harli's voice cracked and a tear managed to escape between her eyelashes. Daryl's jaw tightened as he watched Harli rub her cheek,

"Animalistic... the way The Governor was attacking him. He snapped Merle's arm and stepped back... Merle said he wouldn't beg for his life so..." Harli's fingers flinched as the gunshot echoed in her head and she watched Merle fall to the floor all over again. "He shot him." Harli opened her eyes when she heard a heavy sigh sound through Daryl's lips and he hunched over, resting his forehead in the palm of his hand. His foot began to bounce anxiously and she saw his free hand ball into a fist on his knee.

"Daryl... I am _so_ sorry..." She shook her head and took a couple cautious steps towards him, "I didn't want The Governor to kill me... or make me wish I were dead all over again. I ran when I should've ended it. I'll stay away from you, out of your way, but please, _please_ don't hate me for this."

Daryl reached his hand out and grabbed her fingers, Harli staring at him a bit shocked. He shook his head and tugged at her fingers, pulling her towards him. Harli followed his pulling hand and she hunkered down on his lap, feeling the coolness of his clothing on her bare legs. "Don't say that." He voiced and she avoided his gaze once again, "It ain't your fault it happened. Sittin' here blamin' yourself for the matter's not gonna bring him back or change anything." He shook her arm, causing her to look back at him and stare into his watery eyes with her own, "Wouldn't have mattered either way if you would've killed The Governor. His men would've gunned you and Merle down without a second thought." Daryl turned his head and looked off into the dark abyss, "Then I would've lost more than just Merle."

Harli never really thought about it before, but Daryl was right. Killing The Governor where he stood, still with Merle in his beaten condition, there was no way they would've been able to avoid the Woodburians _and_ Walkers. The two would've most likely been killed on the spot in compensation for Harli killing their leader. She shuddered at the thought of Daryl handling both hers and Merle's death at the same time. Harli pressed her hand against Daryl's cheek, feeling the scruff of his facial hair tickling her palm. He leaned his face into her hand and sighed at the coolness of her touch; it was soothing and comforting. Harli leaned forward and rested her forehead on his, feeling the heat of his skin against hers and feeling the anxious pulse under her fingers.

"I shot The Governor..." She whispered and she opened her eyes to see Daryl staring at her,

"You shot him?" He asked doubtfully and she nodded, pulling back to stare into his eyes comfortably.

"The Woodburians found me after... Merle died. I ran out through the other side and he was waiting for me. He got a hold of me and I fought like hell; I wasn't going to let him do anything else to me as long as I was still breathing. We wrestled around on the ground and I pulled the trigger. When I got up to run, I saw him holding his stomach... I may not have killed him but he's not going to be able to fight at full capacity."

"You need to be more careful..." Daryl stared back at her, his eyes burning with the thought of The Governor's hands on her once again.

"I know... I try but trouble seems to find me anyways." She couldn't help but smirk to herself and fiddle with the zipper of Daryl's jacket. Harli leaned forward and gentle pressed her lips against his in a warm kiss. Daryl's worries locked themselves up in his head for that mere moment as he pressed back. The two broke briefly and Harli's hands clasped around the back of his neck, her fingernails lightly scraping his skin. Their lips synchronized once again, her toxic lips making his emotions numb. Harli pulled away softly, feeling his face trail after her as he wanted more,

"We should probably go inside. You should get some sleep Daryl... we don't know what's in store for us tomorrow."

**.:O:.**

Harli shoved her clothes back into her backpack. Folding up her blankets, she stacked them on the edge of her bed and moved to the corner of the cell. She grabbed her bow and placed it on her bed, along with the quiver full of arrows. Harli stopped once she picked up the black handkerchief hanging on the post of the bunk bed. It was now dry since she had washed the blood out of it yesterday. It was a soft piece of cloth; worn out over weeks and possibly months of nonstop use. Harli sat on the edge of her bed and rested the cloth on her knees, beginning to fold it from corner to corner. Once the cloth was folded into a thin line, Harli rested her wrist in the middle and pulled the edges over her skin. With the awkward use of her other hand, she double tied the cloth around her wrist comfortably and staring at the makeshift bracelet. The black cloth she took from Merle was now her keepsake of the older Dixon brother.

"Need any help?" Harli heard a soft voice ask and she looked up to meet the bright blue eyes of Carol. Harli stood to her feet and looked at the many items crowding her bed,

"Yeah. Thanks." Harli nodded and Carol walked in, grabbing the two blankets and lumpy pillow from the edge of the blue mattress. Harli shoulder her backpack and quiver, grabbing her bow and stopping upon seeing Carol staring at her,

"How's he doin'?" She asked, referring to Daryl. Harli sighed and shook her head,

"I haven't talk to him much this morning. But last night... he seemed pretty far off." She said disappointingly and Carol's lips drew into a thin line.

"I hope we don't lose him again. Not in a time like this." Carol voiced as the two woman walked out of the cell and towards the stairs. Harli looked to Carol,

"I won't let him pull away... not now. Besides, I think his heads in the game right now. If The Governor's coming then there's nothing but bloodlust for him."

"That's what I'm afraid of..." Carol said while glancing back at Harli behind her. Harli stopped momentarily, thinking about what she said. With an internal sigh, she pressed forward and out into the courtyard where the Hyundai waited patiently while being loaded.

Harli stopped at the back of the SUV, pulling off her backpack and tossing it in the back. She stuffed her arrows under some blankets to avoid them spilling everywhere. As for her bow, she rested it in the corner, saying a silent goodbye to it as she didn't know exactly when she would use it next. Harli gripped the strap of her AR-15 and turned around to see if anyone needed any help with their things. But as she walked past the motorcycle, she heard a scramble and looked over to see Daryl sitting next to it. He was readying his gear to move the bike down where the other vehicles had been taken. Harli walked up to the back of the bike, seeing him fiddling with his poncho.

"How you feelin'?" Harli asked and he looked over his shoulder, seeing her standing behind him. He looked back and folded his poncho,

"Fine..." He said plainly. But he soon stopped and stared at the ground for a moment. Looking back at Harli, he met her green eyes, "You know... Merle never did nothin' like that in his whole life."

"He gave us a chance..." Harli's voice was soft and firm, staring down at him with a soft smile. She extended her hand down to him, Daryl staring at the black bandana bracelet on her wrist briefly before taking her hand. She helped him to his feet and squeezed his hand reassuringly with a nod, sliding her fingers out from his. Daryl watched her walk away, his gaze falling to the ground as he began to chew on the inside of his lip. Turning and reaching down, he reached down and picked up his poncho, quiver, and crossbow. He tossed a glance at Merle's motorcycle, stopping and staring at it for a few moments. He nodded towards the bike, _'Thanks, big brother.'_

Harli returned to the courtyard with a few more bags in hand. She was ready for today; it was the day of reckoning. No, they weren't running from The Governor. They were going to face him head on. It was Rick's idea to hide all the cars, load up all their gear, and make it look like they turned tail and ran. But in fact, they were going to scare away the Woodburians, and if worse came to worse, they were going to fight to their last breaths. They worked too hard to capture this prison, too many of their loved ones died in its depths, and it was either them of The Governor. Everyone was done watching each other die and they were ready to raise a heavy fist to protect what was theirs. Harli was glad they were staying to fight; she didn't want to run and hide like a mouse afraid of the cat.

"That's all of it." Glenn tossed the last bag into the Hyundai and shut the back door to the SUV. Rick nodded,

"Alright, Hershel, Beth, and Carl... you're gonna take the car down to the rendezvous point and wait for us down there." Rick glanced at Carl, who stood staring at his father with an angry look in his eye. Rick then looked to Daryl, "As soon as you get your motorcycle parked down there, meet us back up here and we'll get ready for the assault."

Daryl nodded and jumped on his bike, Hershel, Beth, and Carl moving to the Hyundai. Maggie and Harli ran to the gate as they heard the engines of the two vehicles roar to life. Maggie unlocked the gate and Harli yanked it open, the Hyundai and Daryl racing past them and hurrying through the crowd of Walkers. Harli pushed the gate shut and locked it, the two women jogging in after Rick, Glenn, and Michonne as they disappeared into the cellblock.

Daryl took no time in joining them and he appeared in the cellblock, standing over the table as they all stared at the mass of military grade weapons. Rick, Daryl, Carol, and Michonne loaded up on flash bangs and grenades as well as extra magazines for their rifles just in case they were cornered into a fire fight. Rick looked up at his comrades; he refused to think of them as his soldiers, "Alright... me, Daryl, and Michonne will head down to the tombs and cut off The Governor if he goes that way, which he will." Rick stated concisely, knowing The Governor better than anyone in the group. He knew the thought process that went on in his psychotic head.

"What about us?" Glenn asked, looking up at Rick as he shoved the magazine into his rifle. Rick looked to Maggie and Harli,

"You three will hold up the rear. Whether they run or stay and fight, we're gonna need your three to surprise 'em. Hershel, Carl, and Beth will be our last resort..." Rick tossed the strap of his rifle over his shoulder, as well as Daryl,

"How many of 'em do you think are comin'?" Daryl asked and Rick looked to him,

"Every single able-bodied man and woman that can hold a gun. It doesn't matter to him." Rick shook his head,

"Can we take out all those people with just the six of us?" Carol asked doubtfully and Daryl looked to her,

"We can and we will." He nodded. Maggie turned to Glenn,

"If we're gonna be backup... I think we should at least dress accordingly."

"How do you mean?" Glenn asked and Harli knew exactly what she was talking about,

"The riot gear. The vests and helmets will protect us from bullets, and if it comes down to it, Walkers too."

"That's a good idea." Glenn nodded and looked to Rick, "Are there any riot uniforms left in the armory?"

"I thought I saw a few last time I was in there."

"Can't be hard to find." Harli voiced and stepped forward, tossing her rifle's strap over her head and resting it on her neck. "Come on."

The three young adults walked through the cellblock and in through the dark hallways, keeping a close eye and ear out for each other. They pulled open a heavy door and Harli immediately recognized the armory, seeing the empty shambles of shell boxes and tattered clothing. "Here we go." Glenn said and stopped, pulling the gear out of a metal bench set up along the wall. He pulled it up and rested the suit against his chest, "One size fits all, I guess."

"Let's get this stuff on... we don't have any more time to waste."

**.:O:.**

The tight black outfit sucked against Harli's skin comfortably, the scraped up helmet resting under her arm as she followed Maggie and Glenn back to the cellblock. The black tactical vest was heavy on her shoulders as she walked, her rifle thumping against the small of her back in the march. As they moved into the cellblock, Harli stood by the table and tossed her hair up in a messy bun, tying her hair tightly with a string. She caught Daryl's eyes staring at her, not knowing exactly if he thought her being in the outfit was arousing or unsettling.

"Find somewhere to take on the Woodburians; avoid being out in the open without cover for too long. We don't need any more casualties..." Rick ordered, emphasizing the end of his sentence over all the rest.

An incredibly loud explosion sounded through the cellblock, everyone freezing and looking to one another. Daryl quickly jumped up the steps towards the door and slid it open just a crack, peering through as he saw the farthest guard tower on fire. He looked back at Rick, "They're here." He shut the door and stepped down the stairs quickly, his hands snatching his rifle from the table. Rick nodded and looked to the three young adults in front of him,

"Be careful... all three of you. Keeps your eyes open and watch each other's backs." Gunshots echoed through the prison yard and reached the walls of the prison. Another deafening explosion became closer, Harli swearing she felt the ground shake lightly under her feet. "Let's get going." Rick ordered and put a reassuring hand on Carol's shoulder, nodding at Michonne as the three turned to leave into the tombs. Harli heard Glenn and Maggie quickly run through the cellblock towards the back way leading to the courtyard.

Harli and Daryl stared at each other, Harli grabbing her helmet and tucking it under her arm. Her jaw tightened and she let out a deep sigh, "This is it..."

Daryl nodded and walked towards her, stopping a few inches from her. She stared into his blue eyes, "You keep out of trouble and give 'em hell." Daryl said and Harli nodded,

"I will... and you be careful." Daryl shook his head at her,

"No... you be careful." He pressed his lips against hers and she felt his hands slide the helmet out from under her arm. He pulled back and placed the helmet on her head, tapping it softly with his fist. The two turned once they heard the looming truck outside getting closer. Harli looked back at Daryl through the dirty shield of the riot helmet,

"Good luck..."

The two parted in the opposite direction.

Harli ran into the room where she knew Glenn and Maggie were waiting. They stood next to the door, staring through the crack as they watched the Woodburians begin their assault on the prison. Harli knelt down next to them and looked at Maggie with a whisper, "What's going on out there?"

"They broke through the gate... they're in the courtyard right now." Maggie whispered back while throwing quick eye contact at Harli. Harli crawled underneath Maggie and stared through the cracked door, watching as the men chained a hook to the front of the old Bronco and latched it onto the fenced corridor leading to the cellblock door.

With one swift kick of the accelerator, the Bronco jolted back and along with it, the fenced door. The men rushed in and the three young adults stood to their feet, staring at one another. They were unsure of the situation unfolding and one of them might even die today. But they couldn't afford to think about that now; that's what _will_ get them killed. "We wait for Rick's signal to attack..."

"And what's that?" Harli asked and Glenn's dark eyes looked to her through the riot helmets fiberglass mask,

"They're going to turn on the prison alarm. We wait a few minutes after that and if we hear gunshots... we go in."

Harli took a deep breath and began the waiting game between the three. They could hear the heavy cellblock door open, but not their footsteps through the thick concrete walls. It was heart-wrenching sitting in the semi-dark room and waiting for The Governor and his men to push through the prison. The only thing Rick didn't address was the fact that if his men made it to Harli, Maggie, and Glenn first, instead of running into Rick, Daryl, and Carol in the tombs, what were they to do? Fight. That was their only option and the three young adults came to terms that they might die in that prison and join their fellow friends wherever they might be.

"If anything happens guys..." Harli said and Glenn and Maggie looked at her. Harli nodded, "I'm really glad I met you two."

"Me too." Glenn nodded and Maggie smiled,

"Me three."

The three looked up and jumped slightly at the sound of the blaring alarms. The lights twisted and turned with a red glare and the three turned, running towards their designated areas. Maggie followed Harli up a set of stairs and Harli burst through the door into the sunlight. The two women crouched down behind the metal tables and wooden pallets set up on the caged cat walk, hearing shouts and screams from inside their cellblock home. Harli cocked her rifle and exchanged glances with Maggie, their hearts pumping heavily against their chests.

Suddenly, a rush of shouts echoed through the outside of the prison and Harli heard Glenn shout before pulling the trigger on his gun. Harli and Maggie jumped up simultaneously, seeing the crowd of frightened Woodburians scrambling about in the courtyard of the prison. Harli quickly took aim with her rifle and pulled the trigger, watching her bullets hit the concrete below their frantic feet. They jumped and screamed at the sound of Harli and Maggie's enemy fire, taking refuge behind their vehicles. Some even took off running to the prison yard where the rest of their vehicles waited to leave. Harli jumped back behind the table as she felt bullets piercing the cage around her. She panted with adrenaline and jumped up to return fire, her finger freezing upon seeing the face of the deadliest man she's ever encountered: The Governor.

She gritted her teeth and pulled the trigger, nothing but Merle's dying face and The Governor's smug smile clouding her mind. The recoil of the gun bounced against her shoulder and she became infuriated when The Governor dodged her bullets. He shoved his own gun against his shoulder and took aim at her, the rifle's barrel bursting as a spray of bullets pierced the pallets and tables. Harli jolted and fell back behind the metal table, rubbing her hand against the helmet as she felt a bullet graze it. The bullet had cracked the helmet, but didn't pierce the heavy plastic, and more importantly, her head. She saw Maggie jump back behind the barricade and dust blow up from striking the wooden pallets. Harli and Maggie's eyes met and Harli lifted her hand, counting down from three with her fingers.

_3... 2... 1..._

Harli and Maggie jumped back up with one last assault, Harli trying to keep The Governor in her sights as much as possible. The Woodburians raced down the graveled path with their tails between their legs, jumping into their vehicles and starting their engines. Harli lowered her rifle and stared at the scurrying mice; some limped from being shot in the legs from ricocheting bullets. The large army truck filled with its civilians broke out of the gates first, disappearing into the trees and off down the road. One by one, the vehicles circled out of the prison yard.

Maggie lifted her riot shield to watch them leave in such a hurry, Harli pulling off her helmet and holding it lazily in her gloved fingers. Looking at Maggie in both confusion and disbelief, Maggie stared back at her with the same expression, "We did it!?" The two women looked down to see Glenn stepping out of the cubby he was firing from.

"We did it..." Glenn was unsure of himself as well, "Come on down!"

Harli and Maggie panted with blood rushing through their veins as they retreated through the door that they had come through before. Harli shook her head through the dark hallway, "I can't believe it was so easy... they barely even put up a fight."

"I think we scared them. They must've thought we left." Maggie replied and jumped down the steps, now in a jog. Harli's legs broke out in a soft jog after her friend and they ended back up in the cellblock.

But their rejoice was brief as the two ended up back outside, seeing Glenn standing in the gateway that had been broken down. Maggie and Harli stood next to them, taking notice to the Hummer that had been incapacitated by the spike strips that Michonne and Harli had rigged. Harli took in the bitter scent of gunpowder and looked up at the guard towers that had been blown up by the grenade launcher. The small flames flickered in the wind and light smoke blew off the burning post, being taken away by the wind.

"Did we really do it?" Glenn asked doubtfully and looked to Maggie, who offered him no answer. The three turned upon hearing footsteps and found Daryl, Rick, Carol, and Michonne walking towards them. They stared out at the minor devastation that had laid wake through their prison yard. They, too, were surprised to see The Governor and his men turn tail and run away so quickly.

"We did it." Rick voiced with confirmation, seeing no enemy vehicles coming back for more, "We drove 'em out."

"We should go after them." Michonne stated while looking at Rick. Daryl nodded at him,

"We should finish it."

"It is finished... did you see them high-tail it outta here?" Maggie asked and looked at Daryl. Harli shook her head,

"The Governor isn't one to run away so easily. He wants to kill us; there won't be any stopping him."

"They could regroup." Michonne stated and Glenn looked to Rick,

"We can't take the chance he's not going to stop."

"You're right... we can't keep living like this." Carol breathed and Maggie continued to argue,

"And take the fight back to Woodbury? We barely made it back last time."

"We don't care..." Daryl shook his head and began to pace with anticipation. Rick nodded,

"Yeah..." He pushed through the group back towards the cellblock, "Let's check on the others."

The group jogged back in and Rick immediately headed out through another door to signal the rest to come back into the cellblock. Harli rested her rifle on a table and slammed her riot helmet down against the steel. She began to peel off her riot gear, tossing the vest and other pieces of protection on the table. She fixed her boots and grabbed her jacket from a dark corner, looping her arms through the sleeves of the black fabric and letting her hair out of its rebellious bun.

The iron door pushed open and Rick stepped through. Harli stood to her feet and watched Beth walk in with Judith, Carl and Hershel close behind her. Harli pushed past them and ran to the SUV with Glenn, beginning to unload their supplies from the back of the vehicle. Soon, Michonne, Carol, and Daryl joined in and without breaking a sweat; they unloaded the gear and refilled their home with living supplies.

"Harli, you gonna come with me to get the other vehicles?" Michonne asked and Harli threw down a large bag with a nod,

"Yeah... let's go do this."

**.:O:.**

Harli and Michonne loaded up the silver Dodge with guns and supplies. They were headed to Woodbury and it was now or never. Daryl pulled up with his motorcycle and Harli walked up as he handed her a bag; Harli turning around and loading it up in the cab of the truck. Daryl killed the engine of his motorcycle and stepped off, seeing Rick standing with a questioning look on his face. He finally turned, handing Michonne his rifle as he passed the truck, and headed over towards Carl.

"You goin' to Woodbury with us?" Daryl asked while tossing his crossbow strap over his shoulder. Harli pulled out of the truck with a nod,

"Gonna need all the help you can get..." Harli stated and wiped her hands on the flaps of her jacket. Harli knew he wanted her to stay behind and protect the others, not wanting anymore danger to come to her. But she refused; she had a bone to pick with The Governor just as much as the next person. Harli looked over his shoulder at Rick, who knelt down in front of Carl, "Carl's turning cold."

"No. Just doin' what he thinks is right to protect the group..." Daryl defended and Harli looked back at him, her green eyes bright and alert. "I would've done the same thing to protect my own."

Harli glanced back over her shoulder and watched Carl walk away. Rick got to his feet and made way back to everyone as he was ready to go to Woodbury. Glenn and Maggie turned to Rick, rifles in their hands, "Rick... we're staying. We don't know where The Governor is. If he comes back... we'll hold him off."

"Just the four of us?" Daryl asked and nodded his head, tossing the strap of his rifle over his head to rest on his shoulder, "Alright."

"Well I appreciate you staying." Rick nodded and pushed through them. Harli walked up and hugged Maggie,

"You guys be safe..." She pulled back and Glenn nodded,

"We will. You keep an eye out for each other."

"Of course." Harli nodded and wheeled around on the heel of her boot, hearing the engine of Daryl's bike and the Dodge roar to life. Daryl revved the engine,

"You ridin'?" He asked and Harli stopped before getting into the back passengers seat. Harli gripped Daryl's thick shoulders and threw her leg over the back of the bike, taking a seat and resting her feet on the pegs.

Maggie, Glenn, Beth, and Carol immediately took to the gate and rid of the Walkers crowding around quickly. Maggie and Glenn lifted up and the gate and pulled the broke fencing open, Daryl kicking the bike in gear and speeding past them. With the Dodge fresh on their heels, the bike jolted forward and sped through the prison yard out onto the open road.

The prison was far behind them as they continued through the cool air, Harli's hair snapping at her face like a Walker. Once again, all her worries disappeared on the back of the motorcycle for as long as she sat on it. The trees blew by in a wide, green blur and the looming clouds above them restricted the warm sunlight from shadowing the trees. For the first time in a while, Harli restrained herself from grabbing onto Daryl as they rode. He was in war mode and there was only one thing on his mind: avenging Merle's untimely death. His colored poncho flapped around Harli's body, shielding her from the harsh wind generated by the bikes speed.

Harli felt the bike slowly coming to a stop and looked over Daryl's broad shoulder to see a caravan of vehicles sitting in the middle of the road. She soon realized that they were the Woodburian's vehicles and with them came an array of Walkers crouched over one another. They ate the flesh of their fellow comrades and ignored the motorcycle and truck approaching them quickly. Daryl came to a stop, pressing his feet down on the concrete and reaching over the gas tank to shut off the bike. Harli stepped off first, keeping her eyes on the Walkers sitting happily down for their meals as Daryl posted his bike on its kickstand. Rick and Michonne were close behind them and Harli heard Michonne's katana slide out of its sheath.

A Walker took notice to their presence and snarled with a mouth full of innards. With a sharp swoop, a crossbow bolt pierced its head and it snapped back to the ground. Harli pulled out her long knife and gripped it tightly in her hand, watching Michonne's sword swipe gracefully through the head of a Walker, putting it out of its misery. Harli stepped forward quickly and snuck up behind a Walker, smashing her knife through the top of its skull. A low moan blew from its lips and it fell to the ground as her knife retreated back in her hand, looking at Rick as he took one out with his own knife. The four stood around and looked at each other briefly before glancing around at the carnage that lied all around them.

A loud slam echoed through their ears and Daryl jumped back from a truck's door, Harli yanking her rifle off her shoulder and aiming it as she saw a woman's face staring out at them. Daryl tore open the door and pulled the woman out, shoving her along and staring into the truck to make sure no one else occupied its cab. Rick and Harli walked forward, guns drawn as she turned around to face them all, her hands raised in the air and her eyes frightened.

"P-please... don't shoot me." She plead and Rick kept his gun aimed at her head,

"What happened here? Where's The Governor?" Rick took a look around cautiously and brought his eyes back to the woman.

"He's gone... he killed everyone. Gunned them all down."

"Why?" Daryl asked demandingly, his crossbow dangling from his hands. The woman gulped and continued to stare at them all, frightened,

"We ran after your assault. He wanted to stay but we were all too scared to. He just opened fire and killed everyone... all my friends." She added and Harli noticed her hands were beginning to shake.

"How come he didn't kill you?" Harli asked curiously and the woman's dark eyes flickered to her,

"I... I hid under a body so he couldn't see me..." She expressed shamefully and took a deep breath, looking back to Rick. Rick's blue eyes gazed over at Harli and he nodded for her to lower her rifle, so she did. Rick lowered his gun and held it tightly in his hand,

"What's your name?"

"Karen... please don't kill me. I'll help you in any way I can." Her eyes began to well up in tears as she begged for her life, Rick looking over at Daryl. Daryl didn't offer him an answer and it was solely up to Rick to decide what to do with the woman. Michonne and Harli kept their eyes closely on Karen if she decided to run while Rick made his decision.

Rick finally slid his Python back into its holster and nodded, "We'll take her with us and use her as leverage if need be... let's hurry to Woodbury. It's starting to get dark."

**.:O:.**

Darkness overtook the sky and not even the moon offered the gun toting group a lit path to their destination. Rick kept Karen at his side, making sure she didn't run off to Woodbury to alert her people of their whereabouts. They kept low quiet, stepping quickly with their guns tight against their shoulders as they were ready to return fire to the enemy. Finally, the lights of Woodbury came into view and they quickened their pace on the streets, passing a large white gazebo and heading towards the gates.

A clay pot exploded next to Rick from an enemy gunshot, Daryl and Rick immediately returning fire. Harli grabbed Karen's arm and pushed her against the car to keep her safe, the five taking refuge behind the shambles of the cars frame. A spray of bullets erupted against the cars steel and Harli jumped up, shoving her rifle through the cars window and pulling the trigger. Numerous bullets flew against the barricades of Woodbury, her ears ringing after Michonne opened fire with her semi-automatic shotgun. The air grew stale as they each waited for one another to fire at the other, Karen jumping to her feet,

"Tyreese! It's me don't sho-!" Rick grabbed her and shoved her back to the ground behind the car,

"Get down!" He breathed and Harli looked through the shattered car window, seeing minimal movement behind their barricade of tires.

"Karen!? Karen are you okay!?" Tyreese shouted back loudly and Karen tore herself from Rick, jumping to her feet and raising her hands in the air,

"I'm fine!"

"Where's The Governor!?" Tyreese shouted back and Karen shook her head,

"He fired on everyone! He killed them all!" Another long, quite pause came from both sides, Rick letting her speak as it might have been their chance to get into Woodbury without having to break in. Daryl leaned forward and Rick looked back at him,

"Are you with them!?" Tyreese shouted and Karen nodded,

"They saved me!"

"We're comin' out!" Rick shouted and Harli looked to him confusingly. Daryl shook his head at Rick, thinking that they were going to surrender to this place. Rick nodded at them to lay down their guns and Daryl huffed, swinging around the back of the car as Rick stood to his feet,

"We're comin' out!" Rick raised his hands in the air and Harli huffed as well, stepping to her feet and raising her hands in the air, following after Rick cautiously. Her rifle hung from her shoulder as they walked carefully towards the front gate, Harli now seeing the barrels of the enemies guns pointed at them. There were two, only two.

The front gates opened and two Woodburians stood, waiting for them to enter. Their guns were propped against their shoulders cautiously, but their barrels pointed at the ground to mean them no harm. Rick lowered his hands and stared at Tyreese's familiar face, remembering him from their brief encounter at the prison.

"What're you doin' here?" Tyreese asked calmly,

"We were comin' to finish this..." Rick said plainly, staring back at Tyreese with determination, "Till we saw what The Governor did."

"He... he killed them?" Tyreese asked with disbelief and Rick nodded, looking at the ground,

"Yeah..." He looked back up at Tyreese, "Karen told us Andrea hopped the wall, goin' for the prison... she never made it."

Harli looked at Rick, narrowing her eyes at the new information. Rick nodded his head, "She might be here." Tyreese looked to the woman standing next to him and she nodded her head, looking to Rick,

"Where would she be if she were here?"

"There are underground chambers The Governor built just for the purpose of holding people." Harli said and stared at the woman. Tyreese looked at her shockingly, "If The Governor cut off Andrea... she'll be down there... dead or alive."

"Show us." Tyreese motioned them inside and the woman shut the gate behind them. Tyreese looked to her,

"Sasha... you stay here and guard the wall. I'll go with 'em."

Sasha nodded and Rick pulled everyone along, Karen running towards a building and disappearing within its depths. Harli stood beside Rick as they marched through the empty streets of Woodbury, brief flashbacks of the warzone that had taken place weeks before. They ended up at the back of Woodbury, Rick taking the lead and opening to door to a small, run down warehouse. As they stepped down the stairs, Harli remembered the room, feeling herself kill her fist living victim as a Woodburian thug tried to recapture her. She took a deep breath and pursued after everyone,

"This is where he had Glenn, Maggie, and Harli." Rick breathed, keeping his tone low just in case The Governor had been down in its depths.

"The Governor held people _here?_" Tyreese looked around at the creepy surroundings, seeing the makeshift walls and doorways leading into other rooms. Rick nodded with his pistol pointed in front of him,

"He did more than hold 'em."

Harli's eyes found the room she had been kept in and she stopped, staring at the closed door. A hand gripped her shoulder tightly, bringing her back to reality, "You alright?" Daryl asked and stared down at her worryingly. Harli nodded her head,

"Y-yeah... I'm fine." She pressed on and Daryl kept in front of her to keep her comfort.

As they turned another corner, they slowly dropped their guns and stared at a large puddle of blood seeping out from under a steel door. Rick slowly stepped forward and Michonne slid her sword out of its sheath as they all stopped and stared at the puddle of blood. Michonne looked at Rick, "Will you open it?"

Daryl and Harli pulled up their rifles and Rick leaned forward, grabbing the lock and unlocking it, "One... two..." He shoved the door open on the silent three and they all pointed their guns at the dead Walker lying on the ground next to a bolted down medical chair.

"Andrea!" Michonne jumped through the door and leaned down, seeing Andrea curled up against the wall. Harli knelt down on the other side of her, Rick dropping to one knee in front of her. Michonne pulled Andrea towards her and leaned her back on the wall, Harli's lips parting upon the sight of her bloodshot eyes.

"I tried... to stop him..." Andrea looked at the Walker on the ground. Michonne pressed her hand against Andrea's shoulder,

"You're burnin' up."

Andrea dropped her head and Andrea gripped the flap of her bloody jacket, pulling it away from her neck. Harli gasped upon the sight, resting her hand over her mouth at disbelief upon the sight. A mashed and bloody bite mark overtook Andrea's neck, a dry gasp escaping her lips from the pain of using her muscles. Rick turned his head and rubbed a hand down his face, not believing what he had just witnessed,

"Judith... Carl... the rest of them-"

"Us... the rest of _us._" Rick replied at Andrea and she stared at him hopefully,

"Are they alive?" Andrea choked out. Michonne rubbed her hand across Andrea's head, moving her bangs from her face. Rick looked up at Daryl, whose face stayed solemn as he stared down at Andrea's condition,

"Yeah. They're alive..." Rick said and Harli watched a smile cross Andrea's cheeks. She turned to Michonne and patted Michonne's knee,

"It's good you found them." Michonne nodded at Andrea, her tears staining her cheeks as she stared at her dear friend. Andrea leaned her head back at the wall and stared up at Daryl, "No one can make it alone now..."

"They never could..." He shook his head and Andrea looked back to Rick, a small smile still plastered on her face. She was happy in her time of dying,

"I just didn't want anyone to die..." She sighed and shifted in her painful and uncomfortable state, knowing what needed to come next, "I need to do it myself."

"No!" Michonne was quick to argue with the thought of her closest friend ending her own life.

"Oh... I have to..." Andrea breathed and her tired, bloodshot eyes found Michonne's, "While I still can." Michonne's lips began to quiver and she dipped her head, grief and sorrow overtaking her. Andrea looked to Rick for solace, "Please?"

Rick looked up to Andrea from the ground, seeing the fatigued look in her eyes. Andrea rolled her head and smiled, "I know how the safety works." Wordlessly, Rick bowed his head and reached into his holster, pulling out his Python and resting it in Andrea's hand.

"I'm not going anywhere." Michonne said, staring down at Andrea and planting herself on the ground, refusing to move.

"Me neither." Harli said, Andrea rolling her head to look at Harli. She smiled and nodded, looking back to Rick in front of him,

"I tried..."

"Yeah... you did." Rick's eyes were getting red as they began to water and he pressed into his feet, "You did." Rick got to his feet and looked to Daryl, who turned around and left the room with one last glance at Andrea. Rick followed behind him and shut the makeshift door in their wake, Harli looking back to Andrea once the men left.

Andrea tucked herself up against the wall and looked to Harli, her green eyes beginning to water. She couldn't help but smile, "Never thought you, of all people, would cry for me." Harli smiled and rubbed her bangs from her face,

"Guess I'm just sad that I won't have anyone to argue and fight with..." She laughed, feeling her watery eyes soon turning into tears descending down her cheeks. Andrea laughed to herself and turned her head, looking at Michonne's hysteric face. Her smile dropped and she paused for a moment, gripping Michonne's hand tightly,

"I'm sorry... for everything."

"Don't be..." Michonne choked out and Andrea looked down at Rick's python in her hand. She looked back over at Harli as Harli wiped the back of her hand across her eyes. Andrea smiled as her hand lifted the heavy pistol shakily,

"I still don't like you much..." Harli looked back at Andrea and slowly, a smile formed on Harli's face as well. Harli grabbed Andrea's knee and squeezed it, shaking her head,

"I still don't like you much... either." She watched Andrea bring the gun up and pressed the barrel up under her chin. Michonne tightened her grip on Andrea's hand and Harli bowed her head, not wanting to watch Andrea's eyes roll into the back of her head in death. Harli's ears heard Andrea's weak voice breath her last words,

"I'm coming... Amy."

The gunshot echoed through the room, Andrea's hand falling to the ground and the Python's cold steel sliding across the concrete.

**.:O:.**

The cold morning air of Georgia blew through Harli's hair as the familiar trees around the prison came into view. Daryl blew past numerous Walkers crowding the sides of the road, paying them no mind and keeping his eyes ahead. Rick stayed close behind them in the Dodge and blowing in behind them was a large bus. Tyreese, Sasha, and even Karen plead for Rick to take them back to the prison. If The Governor showed back up at Woodbury, they might just as well kiss their lives goodbye. Rick agreed to help the Woodburians; women, children, and men left behind alike. It was only proper to steal The Governor's people after everything, and everyone, he stole from the prison.

And with them, Andrea's body lied dormant in the back of the Dodge where she would be buried in her real home.

Harli watched the broken fencing of the front gates pass by them and looked forward, seeing Glenn and Maggie standing with the gate open. The motorcycles tires met concrete and Daryl slowed it to a stop in the back corner of the courtyard. Daryl kicked the stand down and slid off the seat, turning around and extending his hand out to Harli. Her soft hand pressed into his and he helped her off the motorcycle, leaning down and pulling his crossbow off the front. The two walked up to the bus as it came to a stop, looking over to see the rest of their group stepping into the morning sun to greet their fellow survivors. They all stopped and stared at the bus as the doors opened, Tyreese and Sasha stepping out and helping the Woodburians settle in.

Harli saw Michonne sitting in the passenger's seat, leaning over her knees with her dreadlocks covering her face. As Daryl moved to the tailgate where Andrea's body lied in a blanket, Harli turned and walked towards Michonne. She placed her hand on Michonne's shoulder and gripped it, Michonne's head slowly moving up to face her. Harli smiled softly, seeing fresh tears rolling down Michonne's face, "It's going to be alright... you're not alone anymore." Michonne stared at her for a few moments, and eventually, she nodded and stepped her feet out of the truck. The two women walked to the edge of the truck and stared at the Woodburians, who all flooded into the cellblock to seek refuge.

Harli looked past everyone, seeing Daryl standing and staring out through the fence, his crossbow loyally at his side. Harli moved around everyone, keeping her green eyes focused on Daryl and watching his fingers grip against the fencing. Slowly, she walked up to him and he turned his head upon hearing her. Watching her come to a stop next to him, he looked back off into the prison yard, "Tryin' to find a good place to bury Andrea."

Harli at him and watched his tuffs of air get caught in the soft breeze. She nodded and hooked her finger into the welded wire, "At least she's home with us now."

"Yeah..." Daryl looked down at the ground and Harli looked back at him,

"Merle will be, too..." She said and upon hearing his big brothers name, he looked at her, "We'll make him a cross next to Andrea, wherever we put her. We'll remake Lori and T-Dog's, too. He deserves that much."

"Thanks." Daryl breathed with a nod at her. She may not have known Merle for very long, but she was determined to honor his memory and deeds. "Things will be different now."

"Yes they will..." Harli nodded and she turned, grabbing his hand and lifting it to her lips. She placed a kiss a top his hand and his hand gripped around hers, pulling her in close. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and Harli pressed her body against his, feeling the warm skin of his neck on her cheek.

"Thanks... for being there." Daryl's raspy voice mumbled in her ear. Harli smiled and shook her head,

"I'll always be."

"Daryl! Harli!" The two heard their names being called and pulled apart, seeing Glenn waving his hand towards them, "We could use some help over here!"

Harli and Daryl exchanged quick glances and they moved back towards the bus, ready to help in any way possible. They started grabbing bags from some of the older women and helped them into the cellblock. All the children sat around, unsure of their surroundings and staying out of the way while the adults settled in. There was no longer a 'Woodbury', no longer a dictatorship, and no longer the fear of a corrupt leader. The prison members had lost loved ones along the way, but it was the sake for the others survival in the end; their deaths were not in vain.

New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.


	39. Chapter 39

**AN: Welcome back everyone to the new season of TWD and FTW :) I would like to say a special welcome and thank you to all my newer fans! Glad that you enjoyed to story so far! Would've posted this sooner but damn... I've had some irritating health issues as of lately and my life's been suffering because of it.**

**Really excited to see where Season 4 takes us this year because of how highly it's being talked about. I'm so stoked to write about it!**

**Unfortunately, I have come to the decision that this may be the last season in which I will be writing FTW. Yes, FTW will most likely be ending at the season 4 finale or some original chapter I write after the fact. I just don't want this story to get to over a hundred chapters and become stale, because I have seen some stories do that. So I think it would be this story's best interest to do so. Or if Daryl dies... either way lol**

**I want to keep this memo short and sweet and spare you anticipation. Enjoy the chapter! And always review :)**

It was just another day. There was no wind, the trees stood silently about their roots, and a faint audience of snarls rasped the quiet air. The sun was high in the sky, bearing down on the heavy concrete exterior of the prison. The rays desperately tried to pierce through the thick walls to make the innards unbearably hot, but it didn't have a chance. On the inside, many people stirred to begin their daily duties. The prison did not run on its own; only by the man power that resided behind its walls.

One particular person was up and about before most of her fellow survivors, and she walked the prison yard slowly. Her apple greens eyes scanned the fence line, seeing a horde of exceptionally nasty Walkers crowding all in one place. Her legs halted for a moment and she looked past the gates, seeing figures descending from the tree line. There were at least 2 dozen or more Walkers slowly moving their ways towards the already growing group by the prison gates. Slowly, she let out a deep breath and continued her way on towards her acute destination.

Harli stopped at the furthest corner of the prison yard and slowly dropped down to her bare knees. She released the contents of her hands, each placing a portion of small meadow flowers on the ground. Her eyes stared at the wooden rigged crucifixes stabbed into the ground and she soon lowered her head to pay respect. The four gravesites stood strong before her, each representing a fallen comrade that they had lost in the past months wake. Before standing back up, Harli eyed Merle's crucifix that she had rigged for Daryl. With a deep breath, she gave a tight nod and rose back to her original standing position. Her hand rolled over her eyes as she stared up at the sky. By the position of the sun, Harli knew that her shift as a lookout sentry was coming to an end.

She wheeled around on the heel of her hunting boot and began her return to the inner gates of the prison. Her chocolate brown haired slapped up against her back as she walked, her bangs clattered in her face. Her fingers brushed her longer bangs back behind her ear, trying to keep it tame. She wished she knew how to cut her hair properly, over the past few months it was becoming unbearably wild. A shout caught her attention and she through the fence to see the prisons tiny civilization flourishing. Her nose sniffed out the sharp scent of some type of food being made, and her stomach growled in protest to her obvious hunger.

Harli walked through the opening of the gates and moved around the people working in their stations. To Harli's right, a massive garden thrived with gardeners in its midst, their fingers working quickly to plug any unwanted weeds from their favored vegetables mounds. To her left, a large wooden canopy kept the cooks out of the sun's harmful rays, and the wafting steam of wondrous foods drifted through Harli's nostrils. Her mouth instantly watered at all the savory smells. A few people greeted Harli as she passed by, a smile lifting on her lips in reply to them. She was tired, and they could tell she was tired by the look in her eyes, so they kept their greetings short.

The coolness of the innards of the prison pressed against her skin once she finally stepped through the front door. Her rosy lips breathed out a soft sigh of relief and her tired body continued onward. Harli quickly stepped to the side from the sudden rush of children that ran past her, her eyes watching them immediately exit the prison and disappear outside. The back of her hand rubbed against her forehead as she turned back towards her destination.

She passed the cellblock and stopped at a doorway just outside the commons block of the C sector. With a quick turn of the handle, she popped open a door and stepped inside. Her eyes closed and she fell on a stuffy old bed in the corner, groaning and finally resting her body. Hair tickled her face and she brushed it off her skin, opening her tired eyes and staring at the droll wall. A window shined light down on her from above the bed, not bringing in too much to make it difficult to sleep. The room was nice and cool, but Harli knew that eventually it wouldn't heat up and become uncomfortable. For now, she just wanted to get to sleep and not worry about the temperature.

Her mind fluttered with all kinds of different thoughts and visions of the past. It had been about six months since all the Woodburian's arrived at the prison. Six months since Andrea died; since Merle risked his life to make sure Harli could keep hers. At the thought of Merle, Harli rolled over on her back and raised her arm up over her head, staring at the tattered black bandana wrapped around her wrist. She kept it from when she desperately tried to save his life, and couldn't bear to part with it afterwards. She slapped her hand on her forehead and moved away her bangs, closing her eyes once more and letting out a broody sigh. _Stop thinking about it, you idiot. It was a long time ago._

Harli's ears perked and she heard the door open to her room. Just at the sound of the particular boot step trudging through the door, she knew exactly who it was. But before she could even open her eyes, she felt a heaviness slam down on her legs. Her eyes jolted open and she looked down to see a box stacked onto her shins. With a pout, her eyes narrowed annoyingly and she stared at the culprit that disturbed her sleep. A wolfy grin glared back and her; one that she grew all too fond of.

"What the hell was that for?" Harli pushed up off the mattress and stared at the cardboard box now in her lap.

"Brought ya'll a nice little present." Daryl's raspy voice was low and quiet, just for Harli to hear.

Harli grabbed the box and crossed her legs, staring at the contents inside. Harli grabbed the cloths with her hands, sifting through them, "Bed sheets?"

"Yeah, some new ones." Daryl sat down on the edge of the bed next to her and scratched his fingers against the current bed sheets, "I know how much you hate these damn wool ones."

"Aw, you got these just for me?" Harli smiled and tilted her head. Daryl huffed and rolled his eyes,

"You mean _us_." He corrected and Harli hummed in her throat as some sort of small laugh, "What?"

"You rarely ever put a label on it." Harli's green eyes met Daryl's and he let out another huff. He avoided her gaze and stared down at the bed,

"Yeah well, suppose I gotta start acceptin' it like that I guess."

Harli's smile became small and she reached her hands into the box, pulling out the new, clean bed sheets. She then stood up and tossed the box to the corner of the room to get it out of the way. Daryl stood up after her, "Do that later, you should get some sleep. You've been up for a while."

"I'll be fine," Harli insisted and yanked the two cover blankets off the bed, removing the pillows as well, "I'm tired, but I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep. With these stupid sheets too, it'll be damn near impossible."

Harli then turned to Daryl after she tossed the sheets on the bed, "Besides, we're gonna be going out on the run here soon enough, right?"

"Yeah," Daryl nodded and stepped a few inches closer to Harli, "But if you wanna go on the run with me today, I ain't gonna take you unless you get some sleep. You ain't any good to us if you don't got your senses in the right place."

Daryl put his hand on Harli's head, pressing his fingers into her scalp lightly. He nodded towards the bed, "Come on now, no arguin' bout it. You know how many people we've lost on runs because they weren't ready."

"Yeah..." Harli breathed and tiredly stared down at the bed, "I guess I'll try to go to sleep then."

"Good." Daryl pulled her head towards him and kissed her on top of her forehead, "I'll be outside when you wake up. If you ain't awake by then, I'll come get you."

"Alright." Harli nodded and Daryl swirled around to leave her to herself.

Once she watched him shut the door behind him, she pouted once again, disappointed that she didn't steal a kiss from him before he left. But then again, he had never been the same after Merle died. No one else may have noticed, but no one else knew Daryl like she did, that Daryl was a somewhat colder person. He focused so much on making the group better and keeping them safe, now that there were more people to protect. Daryl was a primary in their little estate and had little time to pay attention to Harli. But as of recently, within the past couple months or so, he started to wind down and step back from a lot. Soon, Harli found him by her side again once they were chosen as vital members of their society's new council. Even when they seemed estranged from each other for a small time, they still lived together in the old abandoned storage room Daryl now stood in. Daryl willfully gave up her cell for the newcomers, and with whatever new relationship status she had with Daryl, they shared the makeshift bedroom together.

**.:=:.**

Harli knew her sleep wouldn't last long. But with whatever nap she had, she found her body somewhat refreshed as her consciousness flooded back to life. Her head rolled onto its side, Harli hissing in a bit of burning pain in her neck from a sudden muscle spasm. Grunting, she pushed herself to a sitting position and dug her fingers into her muscles to try and relieve it. Harli sighed and stared up at the ceiling; it always felt better when Daryl massaged the aches and pains out from under her skin. It was like they were always scared of him or something. But she couldn't even remember the last time her touched her tenderly like that. Only some nights of passionate fervor that didn't seem to even mean much to Daryl anymore. Not like their first time together almost half a year before.

Her booted feet touched the cold concrete floor, but she continued to sit. She rested her elbows on her knees and rubbed her face into the calloused palms of her hands. The council meeting from the night before recalled in her head, the vision of their hands raising up in the air on a vote for a supplies run. It had been over two weeks since their last run, and while Maggie, Glenn, Harli, and Sasha went out to scout, they ran across a very large superstore. The Big Spot was their destination today, and Harli looked forward to it. She could finally get out of the confines of the prisons extension for a few hours of the day. Even though it was nice to have something that was finally safe and fairly secure, she could only be around all the people she now lived with for so long until her mind overloaded.

Harli's eyes glanced out the window and she saw the position of the sun had finally risen high up into the Georgian sky. She had a feeling that it was almost time to leave, and she was surprised that Daryl had not yet retrieved her for their duties. Standing up, Harli stretched herself out and threw on a new, cleaner tank top to ready herself. She pulled on a leather jacket, something effective quite against Walkers that are extra bitey, and moved to the corner of the room. Reaching down, Harli picked up the handle of her most trusted partner, her compound bow. She was surprised that it had lasted so long with such a damaged limb; she most surely thought it would have snapped by now. But with monthly maintenance by Daryl, it was still in manageable condition.

After securing her pistol in her leg holster and an extra quiver of arrows on her shoulder, Harli left the confines of her quarters. She worked the stiffness out of her legs as she walked, noticing that the inside of the prison was quite dead. But once she remembered the position of the sun, she realized that all the fence defenders were outside slaying any and all Walkers leaned against the chain links. It was good for them to get out and do it now. Letting the Walkers bulk up on the fence would only make it much more difficult for the cleaning of the next day.

Harli shut the cell block door behind her as she stepped outside, seeing everybody still busy in the upper gardens, and others cleaning up from brunch. Off in the vehicle port of the yard, Harli noticed that everyone was already packing up to leave for the run. By the looks of it, they were practically ready to go. A couple more supply boxes in case of emergency and they would already be out and into the desolate, dangerous world abroad the prison fences. Annoyance struck at her nerves as she strode over to her team, their bodies clad in Riot uniforms for extra protection.

"There you are. I think Daryl was just about to come get you." Sasha, Tyreese's older sister, said as Harli stopped next to the Hyundai. Harli aacknowledge her,

"Was he, now?" She asked and Sasha shut the hatch of the SUV, signaling her readiness to get out on the road.

"Yeah," She nodded, "He went to get a couple more things and he should be out here and ready to go."

"Lucky I woke up when I did," Harli finally caught Daryl in her line of sight, "He probably would've forgotten about me."

"He's not that dim witted." Sasha reassured with a small smile, "We all know you two are one of the best run-teams we have and I seriously doubt would leave his partner behind."

Harli smiled humbly and looked back into Sasha's dark eyes, "You don't know Daryl like I do."

Harli turned and walked toward the Triumph, the steel steed that she would be riding on with Daryl all the way to their destination. Sasha raised an eyebrow at Harli as she walked away, her head shaking lightly. She didn't know exactly what Harli was implying with what she said, but Sasha knew it would be best to leave her be. Even though she had lived in the prison for so long already, always went out on runs with Harli, Sasha still barely seemed to know the young woman. Harli was friendly and took charge when the situation needed it, and could even keep her calm during dire situations. Harli mostly kept to herself, especially within the past couple of months.

"I was wonderin' where the hell you were. Just went through the whole damn cellblock lookin' for you." Daryl met Harli at the motorcycle, watching as his partner secured what little belongings she was bringing on his brothers old bike.

"Well, here I am." Harli tossed her bow strap over her head and secured in on her shoulders, "Obviously didn't look hard enough."

"Don't gotta be a damn smartass 'bout it." Daryl narrowed his eyes at the green eyed girl, waiting for a response. But she offered him nothing.

Daryl heard the doors of the vehicles behind his shut and their engines turn over strongly. The Hyundai and Dodge waited for Daryl patiently to lead, and with that, Daryl jumped on his motorcycle. He turned over the ignition and the exploding engine of the hog roared to life, Daryl twisted the accelerator to get it to fully come to life. He looked back at Harli as she zipped up her jacket just to chest height, and she placed her soft, fingerless-gloved hands on his shoulders. Harli sat down on the back of the motorcycle, placing her feet on the pegs designated for only her. She saw Daryl looked back at her and she took that initiative to nod, letting the brute biker know she was ready to go. With that, Daryl revved his bike loud engine and kicked it into gear, slowly pulling out of the inner gates and into the courtyard.

Over Daryl's shoulder, Harli saw that Michonne had returned with her best horse companion, Thunder. She stood next to Rick and Carl, who soon took notice to the caravan's presence. Harli bounced on the seat as the bike ran over potholes and rocks slowly, Daryl pulling up alongside Rick, Michonne, and Carl.

"Well... look who's back." Daryl eyed Michonne and turned off his motorcycle briefly to conserve gas.

Michonne nodded and held a look of slight defeat, "Didn't find him..."

"Glad to see you're in one piece." Harli said at Michonne and the African woman stared over at her, "Not gonna find him overnight. The area's huge."

"Thinkin' of lookin' over near Macon." Michonne saw the doubtful look on Rick's face as he turned away from her, her eyes shifting back to Daryl and Harli, "It's worth a shot!"

"Seventy miles of Walkers?" Daryl raised an eyebrow and shook his head, "You might run into a few unneighborly types. Is it?"

Michonne sighed and her jaw tightened at their spoken and unspoken criticism on the idea. Daryl looked back at Rick to clue him in on the situation, "We're gonna go check out the Big Spot... the one I was talkin' to you about? Just seein'..."

"Yeah," Rick nodded and looked out past the fences, "I gotta go out and check the snares. I don't wanna lose whatever we catch to the Walkers."

"I'll go." Michonne voiced and they all looked to her as she walked towards Thunder.

"But you just got here!" Carl said and Michonne smiled,

"And I'll be back!"

Daryl started up his motorcycle once again, knowing that he couldn't wait much longer to get the show on the road. He smacked Rick's belly and grabbed onto his handlebars, Harli watching Rick run down to the gates to open them. Rick latched onto a pulley chain, pulling as hard as he could and two iron gates, surrounded by sharp rows of jagged spears, creaked open to let the caravan out of the safe confines. Just as they passed by, Harli gave a nod to Rick, hoping that her dear old friend would be careful out checking his snares while they were gone. She knew he wouldn't be carrying his gun to perform the deadly task.

Daryl put in the overdrive and sped off down the dirt road once Walkers were getting too close for comfort. Harli looked behind her just in time to see Sasha in the Hyundai running down a Walker, and splitting it in two just as the tires ran it over. Harli rolled her eyes and shook her head, knowing that Sasha had done it solely on purpose. Easily, the vehicle caught up with a motorcycle and once they hit the asphalt of the back road, it was smooth sailing from there.

Stray Walkers meandered about the streets and Daryl was wise to keep a hefty distance away from them. The last thing he wanted was for one to take too quick a notice of them and cause an accident and some unnecessary wounds. He worried more about the precious cargo on the backseat that held loosely around his waist. A Walker could easily try to grab onto her as they passed by. But knowing Harli, she was keeping her sharp eyes on the lookout for any sort of immediate danger. It was what she was best at.

Daryl followed his instincts and the road markers to their destination. At the end of the long tunnel of trees, he finally noticed houses and town structures coming into view. He couldn't really tell how long it took them to get there, possibly an hour or so. Sasha and Glenn were keeping close in the Hyundai and Dodge, and as Daryl slowed on the motorcycle, the others slowed behind him to draw less attention to themselves.

Harli stared around the road ahead, and even side roads that they passed on the way in. everything was so ominous, there was barely a Walker soul in sight. On the main street all the way to the Big Spot, only a few could be seen, and however many there were managed to follow them all the way there. Harli felt the bike slow and she noticed that Daryl pulled up to the sidewalk. Almost the entire parking lot was surrounded by an eight foot high linked fence, possibly higher. The only way to park next to the potentially treasure-filled store was on the sidewalk, so Sasha and Glenn parked behind Daryl.

Harli was the first to get off the motorcycle and immediately went on the offensive when the small group of following Walkers appeared. She slid her bow into her hands and reached over her shoulder, yanking an arrow from the quiver. The bowstring drew back with ease and once taking aim, she flicked her fingers forward and the arrow struck its target. The rest of the group quickly gathered their weapons and joined in with Harli, slaying the dangerous corpses with the utmost of ease. Silently, they stared at each other for a couple stale moments before getting back to the task at hand: getting into the Big Spot.

Harli didn't take too much notice to it all at first, but once she took a good look through the fences that were erected before her, dozens of Army tents were set up. Papers were strewn everywhere, as well as already used up supplies, clothing, and even a couple vehicles, "Looks like we're not the only ones who thought this place was a gold mine."

"Army came and put all these fences up... made it a place for people to go." Daryl rested his crossbow on his shoulder as Harli stood beside him, "Last week when we spotted this place, there was a bunch of Walkers behind this chain link. Keepin' people out like a bunch of guard dogs..."

"Can't keep us out." Harli said and she turned when she heard someone walking up beside her. It was Bob Stookey, a former medic for the army that Daryl had found about a week and a half prior to that day.

"So they all just left?" Bob asked and Harli looked over at him with a smile,

"Haven't caught on, have you?"

"Give it a listen," Sasha said and Bob looked back at her briefly before narrowing his eyes. His ears quickly picked up the sound of music.

"You drew them out..." Michonne stared over at Sasha,

"We put a boombox out there a couple days ago."

"Hooked up to two car batteries." Glenn took a couple steps forward and Michonne stared at him thoughtfully.

"Alright... let's make it sweet." Daryl broke up all the small talk and stepped through an enlarged hole in the fence. Harli followed closely after him, and the rest of the team brandished their guns to follow in suite.

"Make sure it's safe... grab what you can and then tomorrow we'll come back with more people." Harli called back to the others, making sure to keep her eyes on their surroundings.

Everybody broke off into different directions and began their descent on the caged army camp of the Big Spot. Harli pulled off from behind Daryl to do a quick sweep to their right, just to make sure the area was clear. She crossed quick paths with Michonne, but the two paid each other no mind and swept around the abandoned tents. But with Harli's eyes all she could see were corpses, but they were not corpses that walked, and she even made sure of it by kicking every one that she came across.

"Come on!" She heard Daryl's voice call out to everyone, "Hurry!"

Harli walked out from behind a tent just as Daryl rested on the lip of the stores wall, his elbow knocking against the window to generate provocation, "Just give it a second."

Harli let out a deep breath and leaned on a pillar, resting the cam of her bow on the ground below her as they waited. She stared at her reflection in the window, waiting for a Walker's face to reach out from the shadows and disturb the dirty glass.

"Okay, I think I got it!" Harli heard Zach, Beth's significant other, and looked to him. He pulled up one leg and rested it on his other, his shotgun's barrel pointing to the floor.

"Got what?" Michonne came up from behind him and Zach looked and her from over his shoulder,

"Oh, I've just been tryin' to guess what Daryl did before the turn." Zach pushed off the wall and sat on the small wall ledge next to Daryl.

"Been tryin' to guess for like six weeks..." Harli was amused by the slight annoyance in Daryl's voice at the older teen.

"I'm pacin' myself." Zach smiled and then nodded, "One guess a day."

"Alright, shoot." Daryl said and Zach looked back to Daryl, his eyes narrowing deep in thought.

Zach took a deep breath and grabbed his nose, thinking for a few seconds before looking back at Daryl, "Well... the way you are at the prison, yeah you're being on the counsel and you're able to track. You're helpin' people but you're still bein' kind of..." Zach paused for a moment to think of a word that wouldn't earn him a punch to the face, "Sirly... the big swinger."

Harli shifted her weight and just waited for what Zach was going to say next, curious as to what he was going to say.

"Homicide cop..."

Both Harli and Michonne cracked a smile and the two women snorted a laugh. Harli leaned her head on the brick wall behind her, her mouth breathing out new laughs with every breath. Daryl gritted his teeth and pouted at the two women, "What's so damn funny?"

"Nothin'..." Michonne mused and Daryl's look went to Harli, who managed to quit her laughing and stare back at her partner with delight.

"It makes _perfect_ sense." Harli said and a sly grin crossed her cheeks, "_Detective Pookie._"

Michonne snorted out a loud laugh and covered her mouth, trying her hardest not to laugh to loud. Daryl gave Harli a death glare at the nickname, and Harli only returned a visual reply by winking at him. Daryl breathed out and looked off into the distance, "Actually, the man's right."

"Undercover." Daryl looked back at Zach and something lit up in the boys eyes. Harli couldn't tell if it was doubt or amazement.

"Come on... really?"

"Yeap..." Daryl nodded, keeping his face straight and humble, careful not to lead the boy on, "Well, I don't like to talk about it 'cause... lot of heavy shit, you know?"

"Dude... come on, really?" Zach was still broke in half between belief and disbelief. Daryl only stared at him, not saying a word and keeping the boy thinking for his own good. Zach finally got the jist and dipped his head a bit shamefully, "Okay... I'll just keep guessin' I guess."

"Yeah, you keep doin' that."

Before another word could be said, the glass pounded with a raspy snarl. Harli didn't have to look at it to know what it was; the Walkers were finally at their side of the store. She pushed off the pillar and gathered her trusty weapon. Harli smiled, "We gonna do this detective?"

"Let's do it!" Daryl ignored her sarcasm and grabbed a crowbar from Glenn as he handed it to him. Daryl immediately went to the chained doors and snapped the lock off the doors, pulling one open and keeping his crossbow raised. Tyreese and Bob were quick to remove any stray corpses out of the doors ways. Once the corpses were out of the way, Harli turned to everyone, eyeing the newcomers.

"Alright, we go in, stay in formation for the sweep. After that, you all know what you're supposed to look for." Harli moved her head around the group, "Any questions?"

No one voiced up and Daryl took their silence as the answer that they were ready. One by one, they all flooded into the store and the darkness inside was almost endless. Light barely pierced the dirty windows, but with what little light there was it was easy for Harli, Glenn, and Michonne to take out the Walkers they had attracted. There were only five or six of them and making easy work of the Walkers was a relief for Harli. Usually the walking corpses gave more of a hassle during their raids and scouting missions; it was nice to have a change of pace for once.

After the Walkers were dispatched, both Harli and Michonne grabbed a shopping cart to themselves and began scavenging for whatever supplies they could. They cart jiggled under Harli's hand, cursing to herself for grabbing a damaged cart. It was one with a wobbly front wheel and squealed as she pushed it, as well as being harder to control than usual. Every time she went to a store or super market back in the day, she hated getting carts like that, and she was sure everyone else did as well. But pushing her annoyance with the cart aside, she stopped in an aisle upon seeing a boatload of necessities. She smirked to herself at the aisle, and reached out to grab a few packages containing flashlights and extra batteries.

She filled her cart with batteries, motor oil, even a couple car batteries for extra use for things such as boomboxes and traps. A large toolbox found its way into the cart, and then Harli made her way to the next aisle. She tossed many packages of batteries into the basket, boxes of tissues, some first aid kits, and even some feminine products. There was one thing in particular that caught Harli's eyes, causing her to stop and stare at the object.

They were dried up, shriveled bodies of an old bouquet of flowers. Some of their petals had fallen off and drifted to the tiled floor below their vases. There were roses, old lilies, daisies, and others that she couldn't identify by their deteriorated state. She sighed and grabbed the vase, plucking out the dead flowers and placing them on a countertop. Harli put the dirty vase back into the cart, hopeful that eventually she would find flowers worthy enough to put in the glass container.

Harli's heart slammed into her sternum when an exploding crash of bottles sounded a few aisles away from her. She whipped out her flashlight and kept her free hand on her knife's handle, hurrying down the aisle to where the sound came from. The sharp scent of wine and alcohol wafted through the air, and upon arriving on scene, her bots splashed against an immensely large puddle of alcohol. A shelf was crashed down on the ground, the top of it held up by a few boxes. Harli ran around to an opening in the side, crouching down and shining her flashlight underneath the heavy shelf. Bob's frightened face stared back at her, Harli breathing out a sigh of relief to see that he was somewhat okay, and also still alive.

"Bob, are you alright!?"

"Y-yeah..." He breathed and Harli soon saw another flash of light on the other end of the opening.

"You cut or somethin'!?" Daryl was the one who asked. Bob couldn't look behind him, so he only stared at Harli,

"No man, but my foot is caught..."

"Alright," Daryl rose back up to his feet, as well as Harli, "Bob is caught, come on, help me out!" Zach and Tyreese were quick to Daryl's aid and pulled off the first half of the shelf with ease.

"What happened!?" Harli heard Glenn call and she looked off in his direction,

"It's alright! We're over in wine and beer!"

"I was movin' fast man... I had to go right over for the drink!" Bob said and Harli knelt down next to him, shaking her head,

"You're all good. But if this thing came down on you the wrong way... you would've been done for."

Harli's yelped and jumped back, ceiling tiles and dust reigning down around her. Rancid blood dripped onto her face and chest, her hands scrambling to get her out of the way of what had just fallen through the ceiling. She gasped as she stared up, a Walker staring down at her ravenously as it hung from its intestines above her.

"Harli!? You alright!?" Daryl called from the other side of the shelves. Harli didn't have time to respond when she was grabbed from behind, startling her to her ends wits.

Michonne and Glenn helped her to her feet, Michonne handing Harli her bow that she had dropped in the commotion. Glenn stared up at the ceiling Walker, "Yeah uh... we should probably go now!"

"Bob's still stuck!" Harli called and Daryl, Tyreese, and Zach went back to their task,

"Come on! Let's get him outta there!" Daryl shouted and Michonne looked at Harli,

"Get the others!"

But before any of them could move again, another Walker came bursting out of the ceiling and crashing to the floor. More came jumping from the first and largest hole, the Walker hanging by its intestines finally falling back to earth. Michonne, Harli, and Glenn split apart once the ceiling began raining the rotten corpses. Harli slipped out her knife, readying for the Walkers to get up and come after them. with all the holes in the ceiling, as well as the Walkers, it was only inevitable that they would quickly regain composure and come after the group.

"Hey!?" Harli heard Bob shout over the loud commotion, but before she could return to his side, Walkers were already up and about.

Harli swirled around to gain some distance between her and the Walkers. Her hand already pulled out an arrow from behind her, and within seconds, her hand drew back the bowstring and an arrow plunged straight through the Walkers head. A loud snarl bellowed from behind her and Harli turned to witness a Walker's fingers only inches from grabbing her. Her hand instinctively swung her knife and the Walker fell to the ground, blood dripping from the wound Harli had inflicted to its brain. But before Harli knew it, the entire floor was littered with Walkers already up and about to wreak their havoc. Harli turned and weaved back and forth through the aisles, doing her best to try and lose the pack of Walkers on her heels. Her ears suddenly rang as gunshots echoed throughout the small confines of the store, and she sure hope she could dodged their bullets better than the Walkers.

Her hand slammed her knife into a Walkers head and she quickly dispatched it to keep on her way. Her boots slid to a stop when another batch of Walkers came from behind the corner, now surrounding her both in front and back. Harli looked behind her and narrowed her eyes, quickly thinking of a way to get out of the reach of their grimy fingers. Thinking as fast as she could, she tossed her bow strap over her shoulder and climbed; climbed to the top of the shelves. She gasped when a gripping hand caught her foot and it pulled on her vigorously. Under her weight, she felt the shelf beginning to topple, and yet more hands grabbing onto her leg.

Desperately she fought, but once three Walkers got a hold of her leg, she couldn't free herself. The shelf finally tipped, and Harli held her breath, knowing that she was going to go along with it. Before Harli knew it, she slid across the tiled floor and stared up at the dark ceiling, hoping that a Walker wouldn't break through and slam down on top of her. She rubbed her head and leaned up, seeing the shelf lying on the floor, blood seeping out from under it. The Walkers underneath it were now dead, only a couple still alive and trying to desperately crawl out from underneath.

"Well... I guess that works." Harli mumbled to herself, but she knew it was no time for relaxing. The damn ceiling was reigning Walkers, and possibly worse.

"Help!" She heard Bob shout again, "G-get me outta here!"

Harli was back on her feet in no time and returned to the alcohol section, seeing more Walkers than she actually thought had come through the ceiling. Everyone was doing their best to hold their own, but she knew that if more kept coming, they would easily be overrun.

A Walker crawled towards Bob, its head already split open from its desperate fall back to land. Harli broke through a couple Walkers, kicking them to the floor and stabbing one in the head to put it out of its misery. Harli grabbed onto the Walkers legs and yanked it away from Bob, reaching her foot up and ramming it down on the Walkers skull. Bob looked at her with disbelief; she knew that he actually thought he was done for.

"Get Bob!" Zach shouted, and before Harli knew it, Daryl and Zach were by her side.

Once they lifted the heavy shelf, Harli pulled on Bob's hands and slid him out from under the shelf. Daryl Grabbed Bob's arms and motioned to Harli, "Hurry! Get out of the way!"

Harli stammered back to the group that was waiting for them. Daryl pulled Bob to safety where Tyreese helped him get Bob back to his feet. The store began to rumble and debris from the ceiling above them fell uncontrollably. Harli didn't know what was going on anymore; all she knew that they all had to leave and get out of there fast.

A loud wail made everyone stop. It was too familiar of a scream, and Harli was scared to turn around and witness what had happened.

"Zack!" Glenn shouted, causing Harli to turn and finally see what had happened.

A Walker latched onto Zach's heel, ripping out his tendons and muscles. Zach crashed to the ground, crying and screaming for someone to help them. But before anyone was able to step in, Walkers were already drawn to his blood and dropped to their knees to feast on his flesh. Even seeing it so much, Harli turned away from the grotesque sight and tried to drown out his screams. There was nothing to do anymore.

"Come on!" Daryl grabbed Harli's arm and towed her along, pushing everyone out as fast as he could, "Go! Go!"

Harli burst back out into the sunlight, taking in a deep breath of fresh air once out of the store. She dropped to her hands and knees on the sidewalk, wiping a hand down her face and clenching her eyes shut. Whatever had fallen through the ceiling during their escape mad Harli think to herself. How many more lives could have been lost in there if they didn't know that the ceiling was going to cave in?

Harli breathed hard and got back to her feet, turning to see everyone cluttered around and staring at the destroyed store. Clouds of dust curled out from the open door, and the snarling echoes of the remaining Walkers haunted their ears. The scavenging group all stared at one another in disbelief and shock. Harli didn't think they thought anyone would make it out alive. It was a mostly certain death trap once the Walkers started cascading through the ceiling.

**.:=:.**

Harli wiped the cold cloth across her face, ridding her skin from the rancid Walker blood that splattered all over her. After a few more strokes, she finally felt pure once she looked at herself in the mirror and saw herself somewhat clean. Harli averted her eyes and kept from staring back at herself in the mirror. She could have done so much more back at the store in order to prevent any lives being lost. Especially Zach; he was still so young, still had so much more to learn and do to help people in the world. Harli missed the kid already. He always provided some sort of comical relief or entertainment during their runs. It was uplifting in a sense.

Pulling her hair over her shoulder and craned her neck, letting out a deep sigh and tossing her towel over her shoulder. After taking a long shower and scrubbing all the blood off her skin, she deserved a good night's rest. But with all the demons crowding her mind from the earlier day's events it was highly unlikely that she would sleep through the entire night. She had to wake up early for watch duty anyways and was even contemplating pulling an all-nighter.

It was better than sleeping through nightmares anyways.

Harli kept her flashlight handy as she walked through the cold hallways of the prison, following her instinctive way back to her room. She pushed open a gated door and shut it behind her, seeing that there weren't anyone occupying the commons area of the prison. They most likely took to their rooms for the night or were out on duty in the warmer air outside. But paying the rooms emptiness no mind, she grabbed the doorknob to the door and pushed it open.

Under the light of a few candles in the room, Harli saw a figure. She was surprised to see that Daryl was already back and sitting on the edge of the bed, his knife twirling in his fingers. He didn't bother to look at Harli and she took that as the motion that he was in deep thought. There was something obviously bothering him. Not to disturb his thoughts, she put her towel on the hanger behind the door and walked to the box in the corner. Harli pulled out an oversized sweatshirt and tossed it on, closing her eyes under its warmth. She pulled her wet hair out from inside the sweater and tucked her bangs behind her ear.

Harli finally turned back to Daryl and he put his knife down on the desk by the bed, sighing and placing his face in his hands. He was tired, that much was true. Harli quietly walked towards him and sat down next to Daryl on the bed. She reached her hand up his back and stroked the back of his neck with her fingers. Upon feeling her touch, Daryl lowered his hands and looked to her, now seeing a small smile on her clean face.

"How did she take it?" Harli asked. Daryl had volunteered earlier to go tell Beth about Zach's death on the run.

"Didn't really discourage her much," Daryl said plainly with the shake of his head, "Took it like a champ."

"Well that's good I suppose." Harli said leaned forward a bit to get a better look at him, "How about you?"

"Bout me what?"

"How are you doing?" Harli asked and Daryl looked over at her. She could see the hesitation in his eyes, but ultimately, he spoke,

"Crappy, I guess." Daryl shook his head and look away, "Should've just been more careful with everyone."

"You know there's nothing better you could have done. Don't beat yourself up over it too much."

"Kinda hard not to."

"Oh come on," Harli reassured, "You know more of us could've gotten hurt, but we didn't because of your quick thinking."

Daryl didn't reply for a few moments and only stayed quite. She watched as he chewed on the inside of his cheek; something he always did when he was anxious or nervous. Daryl turned his head towards her, "What about you? Seem pretty jittered after we got out of that place."

"I'm fine. Just... a lot went on today." Harli said and began to fiddle with the back of his neck again, "But it could have been a lot worse. I know that and I know you know that."

Daryl did not reply once again and stayed mostly silent to himself. Harli pulled his face closer to hers and kissed him on his scruffy cheek, "Come on now. You should get some sleep. We both have a long day tomorrow."


	40. Chapter 40

Soreness crept up Harli's through, as well as scratchiness, and the only way to get rid of it temporarily was to cough.

She coughed a few times, relieving the annoyingness in her neck and proceeding down the fence line to keep an eye on the Walkers. Harli wasn't feeling a hundred percent. She woke up numerous times during the night and began to feel sickly, even going as far as coughing fits. With Daryl sleeping soundly next to her, Harli had grabbed all she needed for lookout duty and left him be for the rest of the night. Harli took refuge in the one, undamaged guard tower that stood by the inner courtyard. She had managed to take a nap until the first sign of daybreak, but her irritating condition had woken her up again. Although the coughing fits had finally subsided, some remnants spit out of her mouth here and there.

Harli hated being sick. With fall already arriving, getting a cold was one thing that was not on the list. It's not like she could take a hot bath and drink a gallon of orange juice to help get rid of it. But now, she just had to deal with the consequences of whatever type of cold she had.

With a long yawn, she rubbed her eye and stopped down at the prison yard's gate, seeing more and more Walkers descended from the foggy forest. It was all so odd. Where were they coming from? The groups at each side of the fences were getting larger and large by the day. The cleaning crew didn't seem to make any dent in yesterday's cluster, and the build up overnight was phenomenal. The crew definitely had their work cut out for them today. Their arms would be sore as all hell after they were done.

The fog around her didn't help the ominousness of the entire situation. It clung heavily to Harli's skin, making her hand rub on the exposed part of her chest. Even with her jacket on, she could feel it piercing the black fabric and rubbing against her arms. It was uncomfortably and made her want to take another shower. But above, she could see the sun beginning to eat at the fog, and Harli knew that within a few minutes, the fog would disappear.

A squeaking door caught Harli's attention and she looked behind her to see Glenn stepping out of the most damaged guard tower. He tossed up his hand in a small wave to acknowledge her, and she returned the kind gesture back with a wave of her own. Glenn and Maggie shared the night shift and often slept up in the guard tower, taking turns throughout the night. It was a smart move and resulted in less sleep deprivation. Harli pouted at the thought of it; she wished she could do something like that. And maybe she wouldn't feel so tired for half the day or even feel an unwanted sickness coming into her body.

Harli knew that the prison was beginning to stir with awakening individuals when she saw Rick and Carl. They walked through the gates of the inner court yard, and out of the corner of her eye, Harli saw Michonne walking towards the two men with Thunder's reigns in her hands. Harli furrowed her brow at the African woman; she was so stealthy in her surroundings and moved like a ghost half the time. Harli was always amazed when Michonne managed to slip under her nose. But it was one of the best things Harli liked about her. She knew what she was doing.

"Going out again?" Harli asked Michonne as the woman stopped next to her.

"Yeah. Anything you want while I'm out? Magazines, candy... a little somethin' for your's and Daryl's late nights?" Michonne couldn't help but smile and Harli rolled her eyes, her cheeks flustered,

"Oh please..." But Harli couldn't help but smile, "Keep that dirty mind to yourself."

"Just tryin' to help." Michonne held her smile and rolled her shoulder, pulling at Thunder's mouth to get him to follow her.

"Be careful out there." Harli said to her as she stopped next to the gates, holding onto the chain that opened the iron doors.

"Always am." Michonne grabbed onto the saddle and heaved herself up onto the saddle flawlessly, "I'll be back in a few hours."

"Got it." Harli nodded and yanked on the chain with all of her strength, hearing the loud creak of the iron doors opening up.

Michonne clicked at Thunder and tapped his belly with her heels, Thunder's legs kicking out from under him quickly. They bolted out through the iron gates, avoiding Walkers that tried to get too cozy, and as Harli let go of the chain, the iron gates closed. She watched Michonne and her trusty steed hurry down the long dirt driveway. Turning, Harli saw that Rick and Carl were already tending to the garden, Rick knelt down and pulling out all the rotten lettuce in its patch. Carl held a bucket and Rick stuffed the nasty lettuce into it, mostly likely using all the rotten vegetation to feed the piglets awaiting their food in the wooden pen.

Harli put the back of her hand over her mouth and coughed a few times, walking towards the gates to meet Rick and Carl. Rick had made quick work of the rotten vegetables, and Carl was the first to greet her, "Hey Harli, how's it goin'?"

"Oh, you know... being tired and such."

"I know that... it feels like dad's waking me up earlier and earlier each day." Carl said and Rick looked back at them as they all walked towards the pig pen,

"It's good for you to keep your internal clock wound and tight."

"Father knows best." Harli smiled and Carl pouted, stopping outside the pig pen's gates while Rick fed them their first bucket of smash.

Once he was finished, Carl stepped in and handed Rick the next bucket, where Rick proceeded to dump it into the pig's feeder. Harli looked down at Carl and saw a guilty look on his face. He kicked at the ground a bit, "Dad...?"

Rick stopped and looked at his son, where Carl lifted his face to stare at his dad in the eyes, "Sorry... I've been trying."

"Yeah, I know," Rick nodded back at Carl, and Harli was growing curious as to how this conversation came about, "I'm proud."

"Dad..." Carl went at again, "When can I have my gun back?"

Rick stared at Carl and Harli saw a glint of uncertainty in her old friend's eyes. Harli felt the air begin to grow awkward around her and she half wished she moved past Rick and Carl and paid them no mind. But holding out, Rick grabbed the bucket up again and turned towards the feeder, ignoring Carl's question, "The worms will give them some extra protein."

Before another word could be spit from anyone's mouths, the muffled sound of a gunshot managed to cry out to them from behind thick prison walls. Rick, Harli, and Carl all froze, and within seconds, they could hear a cry for help. It was Mika and Lizzie, "Help! Help!"

"Stay close to us, Carl!" Rick commanded and the two stormed through the pig pen fence.

"Please! Help us!"

"Cellblock!?" They heard Maggie call from the top of the guard tower and Rick looked up at her,

"I don't know!" Rick quickly turned back to Carl and Harli, "Carl, get to the tower with Maggie! Harli, you're with me!"

As Carl fixed the lock back on the pig pen's fence, Rick and Harli ran as fast as they could towards the inner yard. A sharp whistle broke Harli's attention and she looked down towards the outer gate, seeing Michonne speeding towards the iron doors. Harli looked back at Rick and he was already through the gate, and her mind tore in two. Through all the shouting and commotion between Rick and Glenn, she saw all of their offensive comrades heading towards cellblock D. at the moment, Michonne needed Harli's help.

Her lungs already burned with sickness as she turned around, Carl already at the chains of the gate and slowly pulling them open. Harli's heart leapt when she saw Walkers slipping into the doors and following after Michonne, making her legs sprint faster to help. Michonne popped off Thunder's back to take care of the Walkers, but one had already grabbed her and attempted to bite. Michonne struggled to keep it at bay, but then, another Walker pushed against the first, and before she knew it, Michonne was thrust to the ground.

"Carl! Get it, hurry!" Harli called and she was almost to the gates. Carl was already one step ahead of her, and once Michonne thrust the second off her with the kick of her strong leg, Carl took quick aim with a stray rifle.

The Walkers head blasted apart and its body fell to the ground in defeat. Harli slammed up against the fence next to Carl, tearing it open and rushing through to Michonne's aid. But Michonne managed to flip the Walker with all her strength, sending its body slamming into the spears set up on defense. Michonne let out a cry of pain, holding onto her leg, and Harli feared that she had been bitten. Harli jumped over Michonne and tore out her pistol, a bullet ending the life of the Walker that first attacked Michonne.

"I got you, come on!" Harli leaned down and grabbed Michonne's arm, helping the woman up. She held Michonne's arm around her neck and pulled her to safety. Harli stopped only for a moment, seeing an unsightly sight before her. The Walkers paid them no mind and only moved towards the cluster of corpses packed up against the gate.

"They must be drawn by the gunshots." Michonne grunted. Harli didn't reply and only help Michonne through the gates, where Carl closed them behind the two.

Harli and Michonne hurried as fast as they could, and after Carl shut Thunder back in his pen, he took Michonne's other side for better support. But midway towards the upper yard, the muffled gunshots stopped, causing the three to stop. They all looked at each other and kept silent, this time, moving slower since the danger seemed to subside. Harli let out a breath of relief and helped the hobbling Michonne to the top, Carl opening the gate for them as they passed. He took up Michonne's other arm again, supporting her almost each step of the way.

Just as they finally got to the wall of cellblock C, Rick emerged from the door leading to D. He walked towards them with something to say, and Carl pulled away from Michonne and ran towards him. Rick threw his hand out, "Hey! You might want to stay back, Carl-!"

Carl slammed into his father for a hug, and Rick reluctantly hugged him back with bloody hands. Harli's face softened and she adjusted Michonne's arm around her neck, watching the two carefully. Harli heard Carl mumble to Rick, but then Rick let Carl go, "It's okay, it's alright I'm fine, now back away."

Carl took a few steps back and looked at his dad sadly, "I used one of the guns by the gate. I swear... I didn't want to. I was comin' back..."

"I fell..." Michonne vouched for the young boy, "Him and Harli... they came out to help me!"

"You alright?" Rick asked and she nodded back at him.

"What happened in there?" Harli asked curiously, and by the sight of the blood on Rick's hands, she was a bit hesitant to know. A sniffle echoed against the wall and Harli turned to see a blonde haired woman carrying a small, covered body in her hands. Harli's heart dropped into the pit of her stomach.

"Patrick got sick last night..." Rick broke the stale silence, "It's some kind of flu... moves fast. We think he died and attacked the cellblock."

Harli felt sadness envelope her. Patrick, a boy about Carl's age, was such a good boy. He always hung around Daryl and Harli, and Harli could tell he looked up to Daryl as some sort of hero. Patrick was adorably charming and always kept positive in bad times.

"Look, I know he was your friend and I'm sorry." Rick tried to comfort Carl, "He was a good kid! We lost a lot of good people."

Rick looked back at Michonne and Harli, especially seeing the concerned look on Harli's face, "Daryl's alright, so is Glenn and Hershel... but they were in there. You shouldn't get too close to anyone that was exposed! At least... for a little while."

Carl rushed back to Michonne and Harli, taking up Michonne's arm again. Rick gave one last warning, "Carl... all of you."

Harli pulled at Michonne and Carl took her lead to help the woman. They left Rick to himself and walked up the stairs to cellblock C, Harli shoving open the heavy iron door. The three stepped in and carefully went down the stares. A pair of footsteps rushed towards them and Harli looked up to see Beth stopped in the doorway, staring at the three with a bit of fear.

"Beth, are you alright?" Harli stopped and asked, and the blonde haired girl nodded,

"Yeah, what about you guys?" Beth looked at Michonne especially, "What happened?"

"She fell and hurt her ankle," Harli said and pulled off Michonne's arm, "Beth, will you help her to a cell and patch her up?"

"Of course." Beth nodded and rushed towards Michonne. She took up Michonne's arm that Harli offered.

As Michonne, Beth, and Carl disappeared further into the cellblock, Harli hurried back outside. She replenished her lungs with fresh air and looked back at the door, walking slowly towards cell block D. how could she stay away from people who have been exposed when she was one of those people? She had to stay away from cell block C not for just her sake and others, but especially Judith's sake. There was no doubt about her being sick now, and she wasn't exactly sure if she contracted the exact sickness that Patrick had. But she couldn't think about that now. There were things that needed to be done.

**.:=:.**

A council meeting was called in the main library of the prison. Hershel, Glenn, Daryl, Harli, Sasha, and Carol gathered at the large, oak table set in the middle of the room. Hershel leaned forward and clasped his hands on the table, beginning his recall on the situation in cell block D.

"I want to thank ya'll for comin' on such short notice, and in light of our most recent tragedy." Hershel's blue eyes dimmed under his thick white brows, "After further investigation, we have found out what caused the devastation in cellblock D."

"And what would that be?" Sasha asked from the corner of the table.

"Patrick had some type of disease that contracted within a matter of hours. He suffered severe hemorrhages in his lungs and brain, causing his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears to bleed profusely." Hershel explained, "He turned... managed to attack people in the cellblock and without warning, it grew out of control. Charlie... he died the same way. Only he locked himself in his cell because of his sleep walking problem..."

A disturbed and shocked look crossed mostly Harli, Carol, and Sasha's faces. They were the three who were not in the block at the time, and came later when the damage was already done. The three women looked to each other for answers, and even the men around them, but there were barely any answers offered.

"Patrick was fine yesterday." Carol said, her voice monotone by the sudden events, "And he died overnight... two people died that quick?" Carol sighed and shook her head, "We're gonna have to separate everyone that's been exposed."

"That's everyone in that cellblock... all of us. Maybe more." Daryl said and looked over at Hershel,

"We know that this sickness can be lethal. We don't know how it spreads." Hershel said and looked at all the faces in his eyesight, "Is anyone else showing symptoms that we know of?"

"We can't just wait and see." Carol said, "There's children. It isn't just an illness. People die... they become a threat."

Harli wanted to tell them so badly, but she didn't exactly know what they would do in such a desperate time. She wanted to stand up and say that she was feeling sick, but she was scared. Not only scared of what they might think of her now, but what would become of her. Would she end up like Patrick in the end? It was so daunting.

"We need a place for them to go. They can't stay in D." Hershel said confidently, "We can't risk going in there to clean it up."

"We can use cellblock A." Carol vouched and Harli looked to her,

"Death row? That isn't much of an upgrade."

"It's clean, that's an upgrade." Daryl's raspy voice replied back to his partner, "Think that'll work for Doctor S?"

"I'll go get it set up." Hershel fiddled with his fingers.

Before any other conclusions were measured, a loud, straining cough came from the hallway and everyone froze. They all stood up and stared at the doorway, curious as to where the coughing was coming from, and from who exactly. Tyreese and Karin walked past the cellblock, coughs echoing from Karen's mouth.

"You okay?" Tyreese asked as he walked next to her and Karin nodded,

"Yeah."

"You sure?" Carol walked out of the library, stopping Karen and Tyreese in their tracks, "You don't sound so good."

"I'm just takin' her back to my cell so she can rest." Tyreese said nonchalantly in reply. Hershel put his hands on his hips,

"Tyreese... I don' think that's a good idea."

"Why?" Karen asked as she looked back at Hershel, "What's going on now?"

"We think it's a flu or something." Glenn said with disappointment, "We think that's how Patrick died."

"Judith is in that cellblock." Hershel stepped towards Karen, "She's vulnerable. Anyone that may be sick, or even exposed, must stay away."

"I-it killed Patrick?" Karen asked a bit surprised and obviously was still stuck on the fact. Tyreese nodded,

"She's gonna be okay. And now we know what Patrick died from, we can treat it, right?"

"Don't panic, we're gonna figure this out." Hershel nodded, "But we should keep you separated in the meantime. We'll have Caleb take a look at ya and I'll see what we have in the way of medications."

"David..." Karen said after looking deep into thought, "From the Decader group, he's been coughing too."

"I'll get him." Glenn volunteered, "There's some uh... empty clean cells in the tombs, right?"

"Yeah," Harli nodded and watched as Glenn quickly disappeared behind the corner.

"I'll meet you there!" Sasha called after him and turned to look back at her younger brother, "Come on, let's get you settled."

"I'll have to call another meetin' later." Hershel said as he watched Sasha guide Tyreese and Karen back through the hallways.

"Alright..." Daryl said, pulling his crossbow up and tossing the strap over his shoulder, "I'll get to buryin' the dead ones."

"You wear gloves and a mask." Hershel warned and Daryl nodded back in reply.

Daryl turned to Harli, who leaned back on the wall with her gaze far off. He narrowed his eyes and walked up to her, "You alright?"

Knocked back from her thoughts, Harli looked over at Daryl and nodded, "Yeah... just worried about everyone, is all."

"Don't worry about it. David and Karen will be separated until they get better."

"Daryl..." Harli looked at him, but hesitated to say what she was thinking next. Daryl narrowed his eyes at the worry in her eyes, something was obviously bothering her.

"What is it?"

"This plague hitting us. It's-" Before Harli could say another word, breath caught up in her scratchy throat and she let out a loud, hoarse cough. It didn't stop there, only continued and she quickly threw up her hand and turned away from Daryl to avoid exposing him further to the sickness.

"You're sick, too?" She heard Daryl ask. In his voice, she sensed a hint of nervousness and unease, causing her to turn and stare at him. With it now out in the open, it was easier to articulate.

"Since this morning."

"How come you didn't tell anybody?" He asked and she shook her head,

"I didn't think it was that big of a deal until Rick said something about it after the massacre." She tried to avoid his smoldering gaze, "I didn't even walk into the cellblock to help Michonne get to a cell. I didn't want to expose anyone further than they already are."

"Well we gotta go talk to Hershel." Daryl tugged at her arm and he tried to drag her to where he knew Hershel was. Harli pulled away from him,

"Daryl, there's nothing he can do, really."

"Yes there is." Daryl said sternly, "He can get you on meds. Do whatever it takes to make you feel better."

"But it won't cure me overnight." Harli broke it to him, "You know that. Me... I'm going to have to stay in the tombs with Karin and David, too."

"You don't have to do that." Daryl said, his jaw tightening, "If there's another attack and no one's there-"

"I'll lock my cell before I go to sleep." Harli bargained against his concern, "I can protect myself. You know that."

"We're plenty away from cellblock C. There's no reason for you to stay in the tombs." He continued to argue and the turmoil in his eyes was starting to make Harli feel bad.

"You know the council will vote on it either way." Harli said and Daryl took a step forward closer to her,

"I don't give a shit what the council says." His raspy voice echoed in her ears. He instantly reminded her of his old, protective self, "You stayin' in the tombs puts you with even more of a risk."

Harli opened her mouth to reply, but Daryl stopped her as he turned around, stalking away with a mission on his mind, "I'll go talk to Hershel right now. You go get some rest for a while till I get back."

Once Daryl disappeared behind the corner, his footsteps faded from her ear shot quickly. Harli sighed and rubbed her face, walking back into the council room to gather up her bow. Afterwards, Harli retreated back outside to get some fresh air. Taking some thinking time to herself was much needed.

**.:=:.**

"I'm sorry Daryl, there's nothing that can be done." Hershel limped on his prosthetic towards the medicine room to figure what type of antibiotics they had. Daryl pursued after the older man,

"She doesn't seem that sick, though. If we keep her locked up in the tombs, she'll be further exposed."

"And if we keep her anywhere near cellblock C, whether she's mildly sick or deathly sick, we'll all be exposed to her as well." Hershel turned to face the rugged outdoorsman, "I'm sorry Daryl, but you know the risks that are tied to her right now. If she stays in your room, she could die overnight and most likely kill you."

"That's not a guarantee." Daryl's expression hardened and Hershel sighed with a nod,

"I know... I know." Hershel could see the extreme worry in the man's face, "I'll do whatever I can to help her, but believe you me, I don't want anything to happen to Harli either. But for now, we gotta play it on the safe side and separate her so we can spare anymore unwanted damage."

Daryl didn't argue any further, and a look of defeat crossed his face. Hershel sighed and put his hand on Daryl's shoulder, "I know it's hard in this crucial time to be separated, and even worried about her health. But there's really nothing much we can do but sit and wait and see how it turns out."

"Easy enough for you to say." Daryl turned around and trudged off through the halls, directing his way back outside. His mind floundered with all kinds of thoughts and mixed feelings, and the only way to get rid of them was through vigorous work.

To bury his dead, that was the way to clean out his mind and worries. He had almost forgotten about his volunteer work to dig the dead's graves and put them to rest. All the hype of Harli's sudden sickness disturbed his priorities greatly, which was somehow suddenly indifferent to him. It had been a long time that he had to worry about her, since there were so many more people now that kept an eye out for each other. He didn't have to worry much about her health, or worry much about her period, which was very foreign to the type of person he was. But since Rick's resignation from being pack leader, and Daryl being called upon to help lead the massive group, he had more than her to think about. It was hard for him to jumble those types of things on his mind every hour, of everyday. Daryl had never done anything like that in his entire life. But in the midst of his thoughts, he couldn't help remembering how protective he used to be over Harli, no matter what it was concerning her.

And he was still protective, very protective. He just never showed it as often, or really needed to, for that matter.

After grabbing up a couple shovels outside, he marched down into the large prison yard to begin his work. He noticed that the truck's bed was already filled with the covered bodies of their lost comrades, so he started up the four wheeled monster and drove it down to the cemetery division. After turning the vehicle off, he stepped out and glanced at Merle's symbolic grave that Harli had done up for him. But only paying it attention for a mere moment, Daryl fixated himself on the work ahead and drug a body off the tail gate. He took the smaller shovel and dug it into the ground, giving his crossbow something to rest on. Daryl reached into his back pocket and pulled out a black bandana, wrapping it around his face tightly to avoid the plague's exposure. With a sigh, Daryl pulled on a pair of gloves and began his work.

One by one, he dug out the graves and lowered in the bodies, covering them up softly. After each grave was dug, he would plant a posted cross at the head of the grave; crosses that had been premade by loved ones or friends. The hot, humid air warmed Daryl's skin almost unbearably, sweat forming on his head, brow, and chest. His long brown, now wet hair clung to his forehead and hung over his eyes, but he didn't pay much attention. Daryl's boot only continued to slam the shovel's head into the soft dirt, and his thick arms raised the filled shovel with ease into a pile above. The pile accumulated over time in the last grave, and he knew that he was almost done with a few more good digs. He could feel sweat pouring down his back and chest, even a couple drips down his forehead here and there. It was a tough job, but someone had to do it.

He heard a pair of footsteps marching towards him, and as he looked over his shoulder, the familiar face of his surrogate brother showed up. Rick humbly walked towards Daryl, his face still in deep, and possibly disturbed thought of the days past events. Daryl took a deep breath to steady his rapidly beating heart, digging back into the ground as Rick stopped next to the grave.

"Glad that you were in there..." Daryl said, bringing up another shovel-full of dirt.

"Wasn't much use without my gun..." Rick said with disappointment and Daryl shook his head,

"No, you were." Daryl grabbed at the edge of his bandana and tugged it off his face so he could breathe easier, "All this time you've been takin' off... you earned it. We wouldn't be here without you."

Rick sighed and grabbed up a shovel and stood at the edge of the grave, "No, it was all of us."

"Nah, it was you first." Daryl stopped and looked back at Rick, shoving the nose of his shovel into the ground, "So, you gonna help us figure this out?"

"I... I screwed up too many times." Rick's guilt bit at his heart, "Those calls you gotta make... if I start down that road- I almost lost my boy, who he was."

Daryl slowly looked back to his shovel and took it up again, offering no answer back to Rick. Rick shrugged his shoulders, "Whatever else this place needs... I'm here for it."

"Like I said... you earned it." Daryl tossed another shovel load of dirt onto its pile, "For what it's worth... you see mistakes. I see when the shit hits... you're standin' there with a shovel!"

Once deeming the gravesite fit, Daryl stuck his shovel's nose into the ground above and helped himself out of the deep hole. He yanked the gloves off his hands and tossed them to the ground, hating wearing the damn things in the first place. With a sigh, he wiped his forehead with his arm, ridding his tan skin of the sweat. But once he was out of that hole, only one thing crowded back into his mind: Harli's well-being. Daryl looked back over his shoulder at Rick, who stared deeply at the grave hole in front of him.

"Harli... she's got whatever sickness this thing is." Daryl said, staring at the ground in the same matter Rick had. He felt his old friends eyes instantly draw to him,

"What?" Rick stared back at Daryl in disbelief, "How do you know?"

"Said she's been coughing all morning," Daryl met Rick's gaze disappointingly, "Then after our meeting... she started coughing again. I tried talkin' to Hershel about her, he won't let her stay in our room anymore. And her... she's dead set on stayin' in the tombs with Karen and David. They're sick, too."

"Has Hershel diagnosed her with the symptoms yet?" Rick asked and Daryl shook his head,

"No... but they ain't takin' any risks." Daryl rested his hand on the handle of the shovel, "Just thought I'd let you know... if you know... somethin' happens in the next couple days."

"You shouldn't think that..." Rick furrowed his brow at Daryl, "None of us should think about her like that."

"Tryin' not to." Daryl pouted and avoided Rick's questioning stare.

"I know it's hard not to but you can't let her down like that. She needs you. She isn't dead yet, and won't be for a long time. She's too stubborn to die." Rick said with a bit of amusement. Daryl stared at the ground again, chewing on the inside of his cheek anxiously.

"Rick! Daryl" Their conversation was cut short when Maggie shouted out the two men's' names, her voice frantic. Rick and Daryl stared at her, and she immediately pointed to the outer fences.

It didn't take Rick and Daryl long to see what the problem was. Walkers stacked themselves up against the fences, and with their ravenous hunger, they rocked the chain link like prison rioters. But with every thrust they gave, the fences would bow over further.

"Oh, shit!" Rick threw the shovel to the ground and took off in a dead sprint after Maggie.

Daryl wasn't far behind him and grabbed up his trusty crossbow, his legs kicking into overdrive. He easily caught up with Rick and Maggie, the three running as fast as possible to resolve the deadly problem. The three rounded the corner and Maggie grabbed up a crowbar, "The noise drew 'em out now this parts startin' to give!"

The fence broke over and bowed out, Walkers beginning to crawl on top of each other to get it. Daryl stared at their snarling faces as he ran forward, but something else caught his eye. It was Harli, and she was already doing her best to dumb down the problem. Her hand rammed her knife into the Walkers faces, putting them down and moving onto the next. Glenn, Sasha, and Tyreese were by her side, plunging their rods into the Walkers decaying faces. Daryl let out a breath of relief to see her fighting strong. Unlike him, she did not hold a worried look of her own life, but for the much loved others around her. Daryl shook his head and turned towards the Walkers against the fence. He needed to get to work and fast.

Harli looked over and saw Daryl, a small smiling crossing her face at his sight. But it soon faded when she looked back at the grotesque faces of the Walkers snarling back at her. The creaking of the dying fence caused uncertainty to roll up her spine. There were already so many Walkers crowding against the broken fence. There was no telling what was going to happen next. Harli reached her arm back and plunged the nine-inch blade into a Walkers head, watching its body go limp, but not fall to the ground. Her already exhausted arm was quick to her next victim, but with the sickness claiming her health, she was beginning to feel fainter and more tired with each thrust of her knife. But she couldn't think about that now. There were more lives that hers at stake at the moment.

Even though, all together, they were killing so many, the Walkers sheer hunger and determination outweighed their teamwork greatly. The fence began to bow once more, and as the Walkers piled on top of each other more and more, their safety was soon question.

"Are you seein' this!?" Sasha called from beside Harli, and Harli turned to see what Sasha's concerned tone was directed at. There, on the ground, headless rat carcasses sat and decayed under the Georgian sun.

"What the hell?"

"Is someone feeding these things?" Sasha asked in disbelief, and everyone stopped to look at the horror before them. No wonder the Walkers grew more ravenous by the day.

"Woah, heads up!" Daryl shouted and the fence caved over them much further than ever before.

"This part of the fence, no!" Sasha shouted and everyone ran back to the weak part of the fence, tossing their body weights up against it.

Their attempts were in good heart, but in the long run, futile in their efforts. Even with their strength combined, there was no way they were going to be able to stop the corpses from crushing them in their wake. Their feet skidded across the gravel and their legs pushed back hard to keep pace, but it was no use. The weak fence towered over them, and as he heard an ominous creak, Daryl looked up to see the fences post beginning to break.

"Back up! Get back now!" He shouted out for them sternly, and upon hearing his bellowing voice, everyone jumped back.

"If that fence keeps bending in like that the Walkers are coming over!" Harli shouted, staring at the fence that she knew only had a few more minutes of strength. It worried her greatly. They didn't need any more tragedy.

"Daryl, get the truck," Harli heard Rick say tiredly, "I know what to do."

Daryl nodded and ran out of the fenced corridor. Rick nodded at Harli as he passed by and followed after Daryl quickly, and she watched as the two hurried their way to the inner yard. Harli began breathing hard and fell back on the fence behind her, alerting Sasha and Maggie to her current state. Maggie could see Harli's pale face break out in a clammy sweat. Hershel had told Maggie about Harli being sick, and wanted her to stay away from anyone who was exposed, but she couldn't just abandon Harli. She couldn't stand by and watch a dear friend slowly waster and suffer.

"Come on, you should take a break!" Maggie helped Harli stand back up straight and looked back at Sasha, "I got her, you keep the Walkers at bay!"

Sasha nodded and returned to her duties while Maggie helped Harli get out of harm's way. Just as they, left the confines of the damaged corridor, they stared up at the inner yard where a jeep careened through the open gates. Daryl blazed down the dirt driveway and stopped briefly next to the pig pen. Harli leaned up against the fence for extra support. She watched tiredly and sadly as Rick put his much loved piglets into a large wooden crate. The crate was rig on a small trailed hooked up to the back of the Jeep that Daryl piloted.

Daryl shoved the Jeep into gear and rolled towards Maggie, who took the initiative to roll open the fence. Harli grabbed onto the chains that linked to the iron doors just outside, and with a heaving pull, the iron gates outside reeled open. Maggie yanked the fence open after the iron gates slid open, and she shut it as soon as Daryl and Rick were safely through. Daryl pulled the trailer through the thigh-high grass, whirling around a good twenty feet away from the cluster of Walkers almost through the broken fencing.

Daryl pulled the Jeep to a stop and Rick stood up on the trailer, staring out at the horde that now took notice to them. A few turned and were already on their trail, the others taking longer than their hungrier counterparts. But once they smelt the fresh flesh just waiting to be consumed, their snarling intensified for the fresh meals just taunting them. Upon their rancid march, Rick reached into the crate and pulled out one of the piglets, holding it tightly in his arms. The piglet squealed and hollered loudly, flailing around in Rick's arms unkindly. The high pitched squeals even made Harli's skin crawl with a fluster of unwanted goosebumps.

Rick knelt down on the edge of the trailer and held the squealing piglet over his knee. Harli watched grimly as Rick sliced the piglet's hind quarter open, its squealing echoing throughout the forest. Rick gently placed his pet on the ground, and instead of going straight after him, the Walkers immediately jumped on the pig. As they devoured the first, Daryl pulled the old Jeep forward, where Rick restrained yet another piglet and repeated the process. After slicing it open, he placed it on the ground to entice the next set of Walkers who wanted an easily meal.

As Rick readied with the last piglet, Harli saw Maggie run past her and turned to watch them all post the fence. Maggie, Sasha, and Tyreese pushed the fence up the best they could with two-by-four's and logs. With the Walkers now distracted by Rick's sacrifice, they left their devastation and gave the survivors minor relief from their dangerous wake. Harli turned back to the fence before her as Daryl rounded the Jeep back towards the prison. She grabbed at the fence and pulled it open for them, and once they passed through, she shut it and locked it up tightly. After closing the iron gates, Harli began to walk back up to the prison, Maggie by her weak side just in case Harli had a hard time walking. But she managed to make it to the top just fine, just as Daryl stepped out of the Jeep. Rick avoided any more contact with the others, his face bloody and dismal. He retreated back into the prison without a word.

**.:=:.**

It was dark. Darkness meant that the prison was beginning its time for slumber.

Harli gathered up the rest of her things and sighed, running her fingers through her wavy hair. She bit at her lip and stood up, turning around just to face Daryl as he stood in the doorway. He looked a bit defeated by the fact that she was leaving to the tombs for however long it would take for her to get better. Harli felt bad, but her good conscious wouldn't let her stay. She didn't want to make him sick or anyone else close to cellblock C. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if something happened to any of her close, dear friends.

But, it would be the first time in a long time that they slept separately from each other.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Daryl asked and she stood strong,

"The council already voted on it."

"It ain't what the council wants. It's what you want. It's your life, not theirs." Daryl replied and Harli nodded,

"It's their lives in my hands when I'm sick like this. Can't risk it..." Harli walked up to him and rested her forehead against his chest. Daryl rolled his arms around her and hugged her back softly, not wanting to let her leave the room. But he knew her stubbornness would get the better of him. it always did.

"Still don't like you goin' out and stayin' by yourself."

"I can take care of my own." Harli insisted and pulled away from his chest, "I have my gun and knife; I'll be fine."

Daryl stared at her for a moment, finding himself deep in her incredible green eyes. With a sigh, he nodded his head, "Alright... guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Of course." Harli stopped herself from kissing any part of his face, so she let her lips press up against his bare shoulder. She didn't want to be cruel and not leave him without one.

After leaving Daryl to himself, Harli found her way into the dark hallways of the tombs. With a quick click of her flashlight, the light illuminated the darkness and showed her the way to her cell. As she stopped next to her designated cell, already set up for her comfort by Glenn, she could hear an echo from down the hall. It had to have been Karen or David coughing, but Harli couldn't be sure who it was. With a sigh, she shut her door behind her and plopped her bag down on the floor. She sat down on her bed, and it didn't feel as comfortable as her other. In fact, it was lumpy and rather uncomfortable, even hard to sit on. Harli could tell, it was going to be a long, lonely night.

She lied down on the bed and hummed in her throat; at least the pillow was comfortable.

Within a few minutes, Harli was out like a light, her headache subdued by slumber. She shifted and rolled on the bed, her unconsciousness trying to find a more comfortable position for her aching body. Hours passed, and outside, the moon lifted high up into the sky. There was no window in Harli's cell, nothing that would give her light after a nightmare. Neither would there be warmth beside her to give comfort. Daryl was the only antidote to her nightmares, and being away from them only enticed the bad dreams even more.

Harli woke with a jolt when she heard the crying sound of a door opening. Her eyes widened in the darkness, and she could barely see a thing.

A loud thump sounded down the hall and Harli's breathing halted in her throat. She did her best to steady her breathing, as well as her pounding heart slamming through her ears. Another door opened down the hall, and yet another thump sounded a couple minutes later. Harli felt her body begin to shake as another door shut, or opened, she couldn't tell. She lifted herself up on the bed, pressing her back against the wall. A lump of uncertainty rolled down her throat slowly, as if trying to tell her something. She wanted to get up and investigate what was going on, because whatever it was, it didn't sound right. But her body held her back. It told her not to go.

When a set of almost-silent footsteps caught her ears, adrenaline rushed through her body. Her teeth chattered and her jaw tightened, waiting for a Walker to appear at her door. But it was odd. There were no snarls, no gasping, or dragging of feet. They were perfectly synced, as if regular footsteps. That made Harli even more curious as to what was going on.

A silhouette of a figure stood at the door, and Harli held her breath. She didn't know what to do, and she couldn't see who was now standing before her. But it wasn't just one person; it was two, maybe three. Harli couldn't tell in the darkness around her.

Once she heard the cock of a gun, her body went on high alert.

"Who-who are you?" Harli asked, but she received no answer on the other end. There were a few more moments of silence between her and the strangers, "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry..." She heard a whisper in reply to her, it was a familiar voice, but with it so quiet she couldn't make out who it could have been.

Harli felt her head snap up against the wall behind her. Her eyes went completely black and an unimaginable pain riddled through her entire body. She crashed against the cold hard floor, letting out a gasp upon impact. All she could was feel. Harli couldn't hear anything, couldn't see anything, and couldn't smell anything. They were just darkness and coldness all around her.

A pair of hands wrapped themselves around her ankles, and underneath her, she felt her body shift on the floor.

'_Did... did I just get shot in the head...?'_ Harli managed to think in her jumbled mind. She could feel her eyes open, but yet, couldn't see anything.

Her body continued to slide against the ground, and moved and weaved throughout the hallways. A door opened and she felt the cold night air caress her skin as if trying to get her to wake up. Slowly, numbness crawled up her legs and to her fingertips. All the sensation of her skin began to crawl to life, and then, a warped, throbbing tunnel pinched her eyes. Her head throbbed and pounded from a scathing wound down her temple, and the warmness of her blood drip down her head and off her earlobe.

The sharp scent of something all too familiar caught her nose and caused her heart to kick into overdrive. It was the smell of gasoline, something she never wanted to sense in the type of position she was in.

She felt her foot twitched and her head jolt to the side. Droplets of gasoline splashed onto her face from wherever it was being poured from. With a deep breath, Harli squeezed her eyes shut and reopened them. Finally, she could see, but what she could see was stingily blurry. The silhouettes of two people stood by another body a few feet away from Harli. What the hell was going on?

"Drag her over here, too..." She heard the same voice from before whisper yet again. A pair of footsteps rolled through Harli's ears, and once a those same hands pulled on her ankles once more, Harli's instinct took over.

Harli tore her leg from the hand and kicked out as hard as she could, slamming her foot against the body of whoever tried to drag her. a grunt sound and Harli took that chance to try and get to her feet, but she stumbled and hit the wall. The shuffle of feet behind her got her feet to pick her back up, and through the blurry veil of her eyes, she found the doorway where she was taken.

Harli did her best to get through the hallways, but with her senses incoherently taking her away from danger, she couldn't be sure where she was going. The adrenaline pumping through her veins got her vision to clear up some, and with whatever windows there were in the tombs, she followed a trail of blood back to wherever she was rooming.

She wanted to desperately find her way back to the cellblock; find her way back to the comfort of Daryl's presence. But with her wound, there was no way it was going to happen. She felt like she was going to pass out at any second and she could feel panic scratching at her chest. She had to run further, run faster to get away from whoever was trying to kill her. But why were they trying to kill her? Who was trying to kill her? Was it because she was sick and they didn't want to take the risk of letting her live another day and spread the disease?

Harli crashed up against a door and saw the darkness of a cell beside her. Without thinking, she cowered inside and slammed the door shut, backing all the way up to the wall and sliding down to the floor. Little did she know that she was back in her original cell, where the comfort of her gun and knife waited for her. Harli's hand searched in the darkness for a weapon, and once she felt the cold steel of her gun, she sighed with joy. She pressed her gun against her heaving chest, closing her eyes and squeezing them shut as tightly as possible. Her lips quivered and her entire body shook with an intense tremor; she didn't know what to do with herself. Tears ran down her cheek uncontrollably with fear.

Would they come back for her and end it this time?


	41. Chapter 41

**AN: Okay I just literally pumped the rest of this chapter out like 5 mins before a biology test I have to take lol so sorry if the ending kind of seems rushed and ignore any grammatical errors!**

**I have to make this AN short and sweet, so just enjoy the chapter already lol**

It was a hard night for him.

He couldn't remember the last time he got a crappy night's rest. It was comforting when Harli was there, but spending all night worrying about her, for some reason or another, was quite agonizing. Even a couple dreams haunted him. Worry was always something that he never had an easy time coping with, and he couldn't help but feel, down in the pit of his stomach, that something was wrong. Something was definitely not right about that morning. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, whether it had something to do with Harli or not, but just the feel of something made him anxious.

"Daryl," Daryl turned at the sound of Rick's voice, who walked up to him humbly, like always, "I'm gonna head down the tombs and check up on the others. Make sure everything's alright. I'm sure Harli would like it if you came along."

"Yeah, sure." Daryl nodded and swung his arm down, yanking up the strap of his crossbow and tossing it over his shoulder.

Daryl and Rick both walked to the gateway that led to the tombs, Rick pulling it open with his key. He let Daryl in first and shut the door tightly behind him, walking after his old right hand man through the clammy halls. The two walked side by side, and then Rick looked to Daryl, "I was trying to find Tyreese, I needed his help. He said he needed to go check up on Karen first; that was over an hour ago."

"You think somethin' might've happened?" Daryl looked over at him questioningly and Rick shook his head,

"I don't know..."

At the sound of Tyreese's missing status, Daryl couldn't help but quicken his pace towards the tombs where the three sickling's were held. Rick kept pace with Daryl as they opened yet another door, getting closer to their destination with each step. The creaking sound of the walls was still eerie, no matter if the innards of the prison were safe. The cool, clammy atmosphere clasped to Daryl's skin, making it sticky and uncomfortable. He continued to ignore it and followed his hunter's instincts, weaving back and forth through the stagnate hallways.

Daryl slowed when he came to the tombs that were designated for the sick, hearing nothing but silence in them. Harli was usually a social butterfly around everyone, a natural chatterbug to keep people occupied and calm in these certain types of situations. Unless she was gone or had left outside, it was oddly quiet in the particular area. But there was a distinctive smell that wafted throughout the cellblock, and Daryl knew it all too well. He just couldn't put his finger on it while thinking of Harli; so he continued on through the grim halls.

He stopped at a door and stared inside, seeing a figured huddled up in the corner on the bed. Daryl narrowed his eyes and turned to look at Rick, who was already headed out towards the doorway that led outside. Upon seeing Rick in his own mindset, Daryl turned back to the cell before him and wrapped his hand around the bar. He tugged on it a bit, happy to see that the door was locked. But the way she was sitting on the bed and sleeping the way she was, it was particularly odd. Daryl pursed his lips and gave a little whistle, waiting for a response afterwards. After she gave no immediate response, or even a motion of awakening, her spoke to her.

"Hey Harli," He spoke quietly, but his gruff voice in such a desolate area picked up loudly.

Harli jolted, and Daryl came to be surprised when her shaking hand pointed her pistol straight at him. Her eyes were wild, and Daryl soon found half her face covered in blood. It was the half of her face covered by her hair while it was dipped over her knee, and it was hard to pick up at first. But now her blood was glaring right back at him, and his heart boiled up into the base of his throat. His piercing blue eyes stared at her, and he watched as her eyes switch from fearful, to recognition. Harli's gun dropped from her shaking hand and bounced onto the stiff bed, her hand pressing up against her mouth.

"D-Daryl!" Daryl's skin crawled at the weeping tone in her voice, and instantly, his hands whipped out his keys. With one turn, he tore the door open and trampled on inside the cell.

Harli lunged from her bed and crashed against his hard body, her bloody arms wrapped around his neck. Her face dug into shoulders and he felt the warmth of her breath smack up against his skin. She sobbed while tears rolled down her cheeks and soaked into his clothes. Daryl wrapped his arms around her comfortingly; he knew something was wrong just by the smell of the air. Harli trembled in his arms and her crusty, bloody hair scratched up against his arms. With whatever strength she had, she held onto him as hard as she could, not wanting to let go for fear of what might happen to her. Daryl felt so guilty; he should have _made_ her stay back in their room with him.

"Harli," Daryl managed to pull her away and he sat down on the bed with her, holding her face in his rough hand. She sniffled and he watched a heavy tear drop off her chin, but his eyes soon went from her terrified eyes to the blood on her face, "What the hell happened?"

Harli's lips trembled and she closed her eyes, her quaky fingers reaching up to her head, "Somebody... somebody shot me last night..."

Daryl's chest immediately burned at the thought of someone who has the balls to walk in and try to take what was his. He pulled at her face gently so she could look at him again, "Who did it? Who the hell was it!?"

Harli avoided looking at him straight in the eyes, and Daryl could see the utter shameful look on her face. He pulled at her face again and when she looked at him, he felt so defeated. Those green eyes he took so long to rebuild were threatening to shatter once again, "You tell me who did this to you, and I swear, I'll make their death nothing but a long, painful process."

Harli closed her eyes and let out a light sigh, a hard lump rolling down her throat slowly, "It was dark... I didn't see their faces..."

"Faces?" Daryl asked curiously and his eyes narrowed, "There was more than one?"

"Two... I think..." She mumbled and before Daryl could speak again, he heard his name being called from the end of the hallway.

"Daryl!" It was Rick's voice, and Daryl knew the tone of it all too well. Daryl's jaw tightened and he looked over his shoulder briefly, before looking back at Harli.

"Stay here, I'll be right back." He pulled away from her shaky hands and grabbed up his crossbow, hauling the strap over his shoulder.

Daryl rushed out of the cell and hurried through the hallways, and then the grim sight before him made him slow. Two large trails of blood stained the floors and the drag marks extended all the way out the doorway. There, Daryl saw Rick and Tyreese standing, as well as Carol much further away from the two men. But what really took Daryl's attention was the god awful, familiar smell that was so faint in the tombs. And as he looked down to the ground, he finally realized the source of the scent. Smoke rolled off two burned bodies and curled up into the air, a few dying crackles coming from the singe, charred skin of their corpses.

Daryl could feel his hands beginning to tremble. Not from shock, but from utter rage. He kept it internal the best he could. Whatever had happened, whatever the person who did such a heinous act tried to accomplish, it was almost Harli. Harli could have been the third burned body lying next to these two poor souls. But somehow, she had managed to stay alive, and Daryl was bound to find out how she did so. Like Rick always said, Harli was far too stubborn to die.

Daryl and Rick exchanged quick eye contact before looking back at the charred bodies.

A gasp echoed through the air and as Daryl looked over, he was Harli slide down to her knees, her hands clasped over her mouth. Daryl marched over to her side and dropped to one knee, "I told you to wait back in your cell!"

Harli didn't reply to him and only stared at the two burned bodies before her.

"You found them like this?" Rick asked Tyreese, who stared wildly down at the bodies. It didn't take Daryl, or Harli, long to realize that Karen and David lied before them.

"Came to see Karen..." Tyreese then pointed at the blood trail leading to the corpses, "Then I saw the blood on the floor... and then I smelled her..." Tyreese's calmness didn't last long as his rage took over from his lost lover, "Somebody dragged 'em out here and set 'em on fire! They killed 'em and set 'em on fire!"

Everyone was quiet, not knowing what to say in those moments. Tyreese then stalked over to Rick in a hostile manner, and once Daryl felt the tone set by the larger man, he was behind him in a second, waiting to pounce if Tyreese so much as touched Rick. But Tyreese did not strike Rick, only stared at him hard, "You're a cop...You find out who did this and you bring them to me, understand! You bring 'em to _me_!"

Daryl didn't like the unstable man so close to Rick, for fear that Tyreese would strike him in his rage. Daryl reach out and latched onto Tyreese's thick shoulder, "We'll find out who did-!" Tyreese ripped himself from Daryl's tight grasp and Daryl chew on the inside of his cheek. He was not in the mood to deal with Tyreese being unstable.

"Do I need to say it again!?" Tyreese barked at Rick, who tilted his head down to avoid Tyreese's raging glare.

"No... no..." Rick mediated and shook his head, "I know what you're feelin'... I've been there. You saw me there, it's danergous-!"

"Karen didn't deserve this!" Tyreese shouted and his eyes grew bigger, "David didn't deserve it! Nobody does!"

"Alright man-." Daryl grabbed at Tyreese again, and as soon as his hand landed on Tyreese, the larger man reeled around and grabbed up Daryl by the collar of his vest.

Daryl's hands latched onto Tyreese's large arms, but his strength was outmatched as he was shoved back and slammed into the barred door. Rick and Carol hurried after Tyreese to get him off, but Daryl threw out his hands and kept them at bay. They would only cause more trouble, and the only way to handle the situation was to be calm. Daryl lowered his arms and let Tyreese hold onto him, his back already aching from being slammed so hard into the door. He saw the turmoil in his eyes, the hurt and confusion that came with the death of a lost, close loved one. Daryl had gone through it for months.

"We're on the same side, man..." Daryl said back at Tyreese. Rick took a couple steps towards Tyreese to take the lead,

"And look... I know what you're goin' through, we've all lost someone." Tyreese only kept staring at Daryl as Rick pushed on, "We all know what you're goin' through... but you gotta calm down."

As soon as Rick's fingers touched Tyreese, he whirled around and shoved Rick back hard, "You need to step the hell back!"

"No!" Carol tried to mediate between the two, but Rick stood his ground and looked Tyreese in the eyes,

"She wouldn't want you bein' like this-!" No sooner than when Rick's words rolled off his tongue, Tyreese's large fist slammed into his face.

"Stop!" Carol cried as Rick fell to one knee.

"Tyreese!" Harli managed to get to her feet, hurrying towards Rick, who looked up to Tyreese.

Tyreese's fist crashed against Rick's face once more, and with it came blood that dripped from Rick's lips. Daryl jumped onto Tyreese and pulled him away from Rick, doing everything in his power to keep Tyreese from striking Rick once again, "Harli, get back!"

Harli knelt down by Rick, but before she could check his facial injury, he jumped back to his feet and marched towards Tyreese. With all his strength, Rick rammed his fist into the man's face and the force of his momentum caused Tyreese to hit the ground. Daryl stepped away from the heat, knowing that the only way for this situation to be resolved was now through violence. He watched Rick lunged forward and pin his boot into Tyreese's side, kicking the large man over on the ground. Rick proceeded to stand over Tyreese and laid his fist into his face, over and over again.

"Rick!" Daryl knew it had to stop before Rick beat the poor man to death. After Rick refused to get off Tyreese, Daryl wrapped his arms around Rick and held him down, "That's enough!"

"Let go of me!" Rick shouted,

"No!"

"Let go of me!" Rick shoved Daryl back, managing to get him off. Daryl was ready to jump in again if Rick continued, but Rick only look back at Tyreese, then to his shaky, bloody hand.

Tyreese rolled back over to his side and sobbed; now feeling both internal and external pain. Harli stared with remorse at the downed man and then looked to Rick, who didn't seem to grasp onto the situation very well. Rick straightened himself out and turned towards the doorway next to Harli, not saying a word as he left the four to themselves. Carol stood, not knowing what to say in the wake of the devastation that Rick had left behind.

Daryl sighed and looked down at Tyreese, who squandered in his pain and misery. Daryl knew he wanted to be left alone for a while, so with that, he left Tyreese to himself. He noticed that Carol had already left, the woman being easily spooked by the violence that unraveled before her. Harli leaned against the wall, her hand on her head and her face writhed in pain. Daryl put his hand on her shoulder, and he pulled away once she flinched. She closed her eyes and sighed, rubbing her shoulder where his hand originally was placed.

"I'm sorry." She apologized and Daryl shook his head,

"Don't be..." He grabbed her shoulders softly and pulled her along with him, "Come on... let's go get you cleaned up."

**.:=:.**

"You say this is a gunshot wound?" Hershel asked as he sat on his small stood with Harli planted on her bed in front of him. Upon seeing her wounds, Hershel didn't protest in Harli being so close to the cellblock. And After Daryl explained the current situation, Hershel insisted that she stay close for her own protection.

"Yeah... it happened a little while after I fell asleep last night."

"So what happened?" Daryl asked and Harli's eyes looked to him from their corners as Hershel examined the right side of her head.

"I don't remember much..." Harli said with much disappointment as she stared at the ground, "I woke up to hear some fumbling and thumping around in the cells down the hall. Then I heared footsteps coming towards mine, and then a person stood at my door. I kept asking who they were and what they wanted... but all they said to me was '_I'm sorry'._"

Harli winced at Hershel's hand, which dapped at the cut on her head with a wet towel, "What about after?"

"All I remember was a sharp pain in my head..." Harli's jaw tightened at the horrifying, blurry memory afterwards, "I remember the smell of gasoline... how cold it was outside... and then, someone said _'Drag her over here'._"

Harli uncomfortably rubbed her arm and closed her eyes, trying to remember every bit of detail that went into the fateful night before. She felt a hand on her knee and opened her eyes, trailing the muscular arm all the way up to Daryl's crystalline eyes, "Why didn't you come back here if you got away?"

"I could barely see where I was going, and on top of the panic and pain, I doubt I would've made it far..." Harli said shamefully, "I could barely walk, let alone think with a bullet wound in my head."

"Well, it doesn't look too serious." Hershel said and leaned back on his stool, "The bullet grazed your temple. Whoever shot you wasn't too good a shot or obviously couldn't see that well with the moonlight out last night. But, it's going to need some stitches before it gets infected."

"Great..." Harli sighed and Hershel laid a dirty towel down on the bed. Harli took the initiative to lie down, tilting her face so the left side on her head was exposed upward. She saw Hershel grab up a needle and thread from his first aid kit, and at the sight of it, her skin crawled.

"Try not to hit me this time, darlin'." Hershel mused and Harli huffed with a small smile,

"Can't make any promises."

"She won't touch you again, Hershel." Daryl grabbed onto her hand and held it in his own, "I'll make sure of that."

"She felt too bad about it last time." Hershel laughed as he threaded his needle, "I don't see her doin' it again this time."

"Can't be so sure 'bout this wildcat. She got shot in the head and still got away." Daryl said amusingly as he looked over at Harli and she only pouted back at him. Hershel continued to chuckle to himself,

"I know what she's capable. Harli is just a rose with some sharper thorns here and there." With his needle threaded, Hershel's blue eyes looked down at her, "You ready?"

Harli swallowed hard and took a deep breath, nodding her head and closing her eyes. Hershel looked at Daryl briefly before leaning forward and resting his steady hand on her head. He dabbed a cool cloth on her wound, and then, stuck the sharp end of the needle in through the two flaps of open skin. Harli's shoulder jolted annoyingly, and all her muscles tightened in her body. As Hershel began to weave and pull, Harli groaned and hiss with each prick. Her hand squeezed Daryl's as hard as she could, doing her best to relay her urge to retaliate with a hand into her grip on Daryl. Daryl stared at Harli's pain ridden face, his heart dropping into the pit of his stomach during the entire session. The grip on his hand was unlike any of her strength he felt with her, and he knew that pain wasn't her strong suit. He always promised himself he wouldn't see her like this anymore. But lately, his promises were running drier and drier each day.

Harli coughed a couple times in her throat, careful not to disturb Hershel's mending. But Hershel slowed for a moment, studying Harli from under his thick brows, "You haven't been coughing much."

"That was the first time this morning, actually." Harli pointed out and Hershel's lips drew thin,

"First time this mornin'?" Hershel stopped his stitching for a second and placed his hand on her forehead, "You don't feel like you're runnin' much of a fever, neither."

"Really?" Harli asked, her eyebrows drawing together both confusingly and curiously.

"Does that mean she ain't sick anymore?" Daryl asked and Hershel looked to him,

"I can't rule that out..." Hershel looked back to Harli's wound to get it finished, "But it is quite odd. Some of the others that are sick right now are starting to experience more severe symptoms. High fevers, heavy coughing, and all over stomach pain and fatigue. But Harli, after over the twelve hours since diagnosis, hasn't experienced the severe symptoms yet."

"Maybe the shock of being shot in the head scared them away?" Harli said and Hershel shook his head,

"I wouldn't rule out the sickness quite yet. If you do have it, then it's taking longer than the others to hit your immune system hard." Hershel said, and with one final, quick tug, he ended the stitching, "Well then... that didn't take as long as I thought longer."

"Thanks Hershel." Harli stayed down on the bed and reached her hand up to touch the stitches. Her hand was stopped by Daryl,

"Don't touch it."

"Alright you two, don't kill each other now." Hershel smiled and stood to his feet, putting away all his medical supplies in one sweep. He turned back to them, "After I examine Rick's hand, I'm callin' a council meetin' with whatever's left of us. Harli... you're welcome to join us if you'd like."

"Thanks again, Hershel." Harli leaned up and as soon as she did, her head began to pound, but she did her best to conceal it.

"I left you some pain medications. Take one once every six hours." Hershel expressed and Harli nodded,

"Yeah, I know."

"See you in a bit, doc." Daryl said and Hershel turned, walking out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

Harli sighed and lied back on the bed lightly, careful not to jog her head. She closed her eyes and kept her hand at bay from touching her stitched wound. The throbbing nature of her head annoyed her to no end, but with pain medication already in the pit of her stomach, she waited patiently for it to kick in. A shuffle beside her caused her eyes to crack open, and she saw Daryl on his feet with his back to her. She watched his careful movements thoroughly, and before she knew it, he was already turned around to face her. He held a bowl in his hand and a cloth in the other.

"Sit up." Daryl's raspy voice commanded and Harli did so, pushing herself back up to a sitting position. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance as she sat on the edge of the bed and Daryl pulled up the stool that Hershel originally posted himself on. Daryl dipped the cloth into the water and rung it out, handing the bowl to Harli so she could hold it. She held it in her lap and then took a breath once she felt the cool cloth hit her burning face. Daryl rubbed it softly on the bloodier side of her face, careful not irritate her or her skin. He knew all too well how annoying it was to get dried blood off the skin.

Harli stared at Daryl as he cleaned her up, seeing the underlying look on his face. He was good at hiding what he really felt, but Harli knew him better than anyone. She could see that he was a bit irritated, not at her, but at himself. And Harli knew exactly what was bothering him.

"It's not your fault, you know..." Harli said, causing his eyes to look from his task to her. He then looked down at the bowl and dipped the cloth back in, ringing it out and holding it over his lap to fold it.

"Yeah, it's never my fault, huh?" He said with a scoff, followed by the shake of his head, "Not my fault for not keepin' you as close as I should have."

Daryl reached his hand up to continue wiping the blood off her cheeks, but Harli snatched his wrist and stopped him. He stared into her hard green eyes, "Stop blaming yourself for all that's happened to me..." She pulled the cloth from his hand and rested it on the bed, taking up his hand in both of hers, "When we left the farm... that wasn't your decision, it was mine. What The Governor did... there was really nothing you could have done, and you knew nothing about the situation until Michonne showed up that day. The runs we've been on in the past few months; I put myself in those dangerous situations, not you. And last night... no one knew it would happen. No one thought any of that would happen."

Daryl let out a sigh and looked away from her, but Harli grabbed his face and made him look at her. She shook her head, "Don't make me slap the living sense back into you."

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers, Harli feeling his hand brush up against the side of her face that wasn't damaged. Upon feeling his delicate touch, she felt so relieved to be in his hands again, to be so close to him again. She didn't hesitate to kiss him back, but the sudden realization that she held a deadly virus in her body made her rethink her desires. Harli pulled away from him and looked back into his eyes, "Daryl, I'm sick..."

"I don't care." He said plainly, "I've already been exposed to the damn sickness plenty. Kissin' you ain't gonna make no difference to that."

Daryl grabbed the cloth back up in his hand and re-dipped it in the bowl on the bed. After ringing it out, he pressed it up against her face once again to get her somewhat clean. He saw Harli smile, "I was just going to take a shower... would have been way easier. And you know... I would enjoy your company if you came along."

Daryl huffed with a small smile, seeing the glazed over, medicated look on her face, "Hardly any time for that, don't you think?"

"Something fun to do to pass the time before council." Harli only shrugged in reply to him. Daryl sighed and moved the bowl and cloth to the large desk behind him.

He then grabbed Harli up and she gasped from suddenly being lifted up from the bed. Daryl held her tight and laid her down on the bed, making sure her head lied softly down on the pillow. She stared up at him, waiting for him to do something, and especially something in particular. He leaned down, only inches from her face, "You're gonna stay here while I go get you some food. And if you leave, I will drag you back here, willing or not, and lock you up."

"Yes sir..." Harli rolled her eyes and Daryl got off the bed, disappearing behind the closed door within a matter of seconds. She groaned and laid on her side, closing her tired eyes to wait patiently for Daryl's return.

**.:=:.**

After somewhat of a good meal, Harli got on a change of clothes and finished cleaning herself of most of her blood. She wrapped her hair up in a braid and stretched it to hand over her neck, re-securing her loyal gun and knife on her hip. After making sure she had Merle's old black bandana tightly wound around her wrist, she turned to the door and stepped outside. There, Daryl waited for her patiently, and upon seeing her exit the room, he pushed off the wall. He handed Harli her bow, and she took it gladly to throw the strap around her shoulder.

"You act like you've never seen me naked before." Harli said as they walked towards the tombs. She heard Daryl scoff beside her,

"Just tryin' to give you some privacy."

"Yeah, but that's no fun." She smiled and followed him to the council room in the middle of the prison. Daryl looked back at her,

"Well then... maybe after this council... I'll take you up on that offer."

Harli continued to smile and follow after him like a lost puppy. Since the incident, Daryl was nowhere but by her side the entire time, and it was so refreshing to see him acting the way he was. It had been a long time since he had shown any concern for her and it absolutely felt great. She hated that she had to get hurt the way she did for his concern to break through his tough exterior, but she was still happy that it happened. Things were somewhat back to the way they were, and getting Daryl back to his usual nature was uplifting. He never fully showed his real self to those other than Harli.

Daryl stopped at the door to the library and raised his hand, knocking his knuckles lightly on the wooden door. A shuffled sounded inside and the door opened a few seconds later, Hershel staring at the two, "We've been waitin' for you."

"Sorry, was tryin' to get Harli situated after what happened." Daryl said as he entered the room, Harli close in behind him.

"It isn't a problem..." Hershel said as he shut the door behind them, "How are you feelin' Harli?"

"Better," Harli replied as she set down her bow and sat in between Carol and Daryl, "It doesn't hurt as much as I thought it was."

"Well, the bullet only grazed the thin skin on your skull." Hershel hobbled back over to his seat and sat down.

"We heard what happened." Michonne said and Harli looked over at her, "Glad you're alright."

"Yeah," Glenn drew at Harli's attention next, "I can't believe someone would do something like that."

"It's alright guys. I'm alive and all that matters now is what this council will do next."

"Let the meetin' commence." Hershel said and clasped his hands together, staring at each one of his members grimly, "I have some bad news concernin' the health and welfare of our fellow survivors. As of this morning... the sickness has spread."

"How is that?" Carol asked a bit confused and Hershel shook his head,

"Whatever it is, its bouncin' from one person to the other." He let out a disappointed sigh, "Everyone who survived the attack in cellblock D... Sasha, Caleb... and now others."

"Jesus..." Daryl said, obviously surprised at the fact that so many people had become sick overnight.

"Those were the people you mention to me earlier?" Harli asked Hershel and he replied to her with a stern nod.

"So what do we do?" Carol asked.

"First things first," Hershel continued, "Cellblock A is isolation. We keep sick people there like we tried with Karen and David."

"Yeah and what the hell we gonna do bout that?" Daryl asked about that particular situation, "One of our own... killin' those two, as well as tryin' to kill Harli. We can't just let that go."

"I'll ask Rick to look into it. Try to make a timeline of who's where and when." Carol vouched, but then looked at Hershel, "But... what're we gonna do to stop this?"

"There is no stopping it." Hershel said with much certainty, "Don't you get it? You have to go through it."

"And it just kills you?" Michonne asked by a book shelf and Hershel turned in his chair to face her,

"The illness doesn't... the symptoms do." Hershel took a deep breath, "We need antibiotics."

"We've been through every pharmacy nearby." Harli said and Daryl nodded,

"And then some."

"That veterinary college at West GC Tech. That's one place people may not have thought to raid for medication." Hershel said matter-of-factly, "The drugs for animals there are the same we need."

"That's fifty miles.. too big a risk before." Daryl said with his face deep in thought. But then he jumped to his feet, "It ain't now. I'm gonna take a group out. Best not waste any more time!"

"I'm in." Michonne stepped forward to the challenge and Hershel looked to Michonne,

"You haven't been exposed. Daryl has... you get into a car with him."

"He's already given me fleas." Michonne shook her head.

Hershel laughed and got to his feet ecstatically, "I can lead the way. I know where everything's kept!"

Daryl and Harli immediately looked at each other briefly, the two knowing exactly what kind of hazard that brought. Daryl looked back at Hershel, "When we're out there. It's always the same... sooner or later, we run."

"I can... draw you a map..." Hershel said with much defeat. Daryl nodded and turned to leave the room, but Hershel stopped them, "There are other precautions I feel we should take."

"Like what?" Carol asked and Hershel looked to her,

"There's no tellin' how long it will be until Daryl and his group return. Wouldn't it make sense to us to separate those who are the most vulnerable? We can use the Administration building: separate office-separate rooms."

"Who _is_ the most venerable?" Glenn spoke his first words, causing everyone to look at him. Hershel shrugged,

"They're young."

"What about the old?" Glenn asked again, Hershel knowing he was talking mostly about him. Hershel nodded,

"Them as well..." Hershel knew that he was the only older person who wasn't sick; therefore, he would be alone. "Let's get our ducks in a row. We don't have any more time to waste."

The council ended and both Daryl and Harli hurried their way back towards cellblock C. Without time on their side, Daryl had to quickly figure out what type of plan to establish if they were to get in and out of the college effectively. Casualties weren't going to be an option this time.

"Get all your stuff ready for the trip. I don't know how long we might be gone for." Daryl said as he began to ready a backpack full of supplies just in case they got stuck for however many days.

"I'm going?" Harli asked a bit confused as she walked up towards him. Daryl looked over at her,

"Yeah, why wouldn't you?"

"I don't know..." Harli walked over towards the bed and sat down on the edge, "I'm a flight risk. You heard what Hershel said... I'm a ticking time bomb."

"I want you to go." Daryl wrapped the strap of his backpack over his shoulder as he stared at her, "I ain't leavin' you here. Not after what happened last night. Whoever it is... they could take a shot at you again and this time, they might not miss."

Harli looked down at the floor in deep contemplation, kicking her toes against the cold, concrete floor. Daryl walked over and put a hand on her shoulder, "You're one of the fastest ones we got, not to mention one of the smartest. It ain't gonna do me no good worryin' about you the entire time I'm out there. I'd rather have my partner by my side and doin' us some good."

"Alright..." Harli said as she stared into his bright blue eyes, "I'll go with you. But if something happens-."

"Nothing will happen." Daryl insisted, but a glint in his eye made Harli curious. Daryl suddenly stared at her hard and serious, "But, if we get into a corner at any time, I'll do my damned best to get everyone out... but you're my top priority."

Without another word, Daryl left Harli to herself to get ready to go out on the run. Harli stared at the door that he left through, hearing the last of his words echo through her ears once more. With a sigh, she stood to her feet and gathered up her old black backpack, stuffing in items and supplies she thought she would need. She then counted all her arrows in her quivers, making sure she had enough that would most likely last her through the entire run. But with the help of her knife and pistol, it wouldn't hinder her arrow supply too much. Harli took a deep breath and looked around the room one more time, waiting for her brain to tell her she was forgetting something. But after seeing nothing else she thought she would need, she left through her bedroom door and took to the outdoors.

The fresh air felt nice in her lungs, hating how stuffy the inside of the prison had become after the sickness took over. Harli hoped that while she was out in the open, for however long she would be gone, her body would fight away the virus that kept itself dormant. As much as she wanted to go with Daryl, be by his side rather than waiting for her demise, she couldn't help but imagine what could happen out there. She could go into coughing fits and disturb their unnoticed position, she could easily begin to feel the severe symptoms and be lugged around on a thin thread while they desperately tried to find antibiotics, or out of nowhere, the sickness could kill her within a matter of hours and she could possibly return as a Walker. It scared her, but her fears couldn't keep her from doing her job. Daryl was right; he needed her help when it came to speed, intelligence, and fighting experience. They needed all the help they could get to save all the people now sick in the innards of the prison.

Harli walked around the corner where the vehicles were usually kept, seeing the jet black Dodge Charger that Zach had kept running sitting before her. Michonne stood next to the car, watching whoever was tinkering with the engine underneath the open hood. Harli pulled off her backpack and set it down next to the car, hearing the two conversing.

"Yeah, and Harli over there." She heard Daryl say as he nodded towards her, Michonne turning around to see Harli walking up behind her.

"You're comin' along, too, huh?" Michonne asked curiously and Harli nodded,

"Don't really have a choice." She said with a smile as she eyed Daryl, who tinkered with the oil dip stick in the engine.

"Bob's comin', too." Daryl shoved the dip stick back into the compartment of its oil rig, "Still... it feels like we could use another person. Need all the manpower we can get."

"Who else isn't sick?" Michonne asked and Daryl shook his head,

"Well, we don't ask Rick. He wants to stay here with Carl and Lil' Asskicker. Keep them safe." Daryl finished what he was doing under the hood of the car and snatched his leather vest from above him, "Plus, there's plenty of stuff he can do here."

"So who else we got?" Michonne asked more to herself rather than Harli or Daryl. Harli crossed her arms and bit at her lip,

"What about Tyreese?" Harli suggested and both Daryl and Michonne looked at her, "He's not sick... and he's pretty good when it comes to that hammer of his."

"He doesn't seem all that fit to go with us." Michonne said as she looked over at Daryl, "After what happened to Karen."

"Yeah well... Harli's got the idea." Daryl tossed his angel winged vest back on, "He's the only one we got, and we're going need all the help we can get without cripplin' this place in the matter of man power."

"We sure we wanna take this guy?" Michonne narrowed her eyes and Daryl nodded his head,

"Ain't got a choice..." Daryl turned around and walked towards the cellblock, leaving the two women to each other.

"Wanna come with me?" Michonne asked and Harli tilted her head,

"Where?"

"Gonna go get some gasoline and oil. Get this car ready to go." Michonne walked towards the storage room at the back of the vehicle retainer, "Like Hershel said, we can't waste any more time."

**.:=:.**

They were in the car before they knew it.

Tyreese had finally accepted Daryl's offer in helping them recover medication, so the car was now full with their team. With Daryl piloting the Charger, Harli sat in the passenger's seat while Michonne sat door seat behind her, Bob in the middle, and Tyreese sitting passenger behind Daryl. Harli insisted that she would sit in back with Bob and Tyreese, but Michonne said it would be fine if she did. Harli couldn't help but smile at the slightly uncomfortable look on Michonne's face after being squeezed back there with the two larger men. She hated being so close to people, let alone, squeezed up against them in the back seat.

Daryl pushed the car up to eighty miles an hour, rushing down the desolate highway towards the college. Leaves covered the roadway after fluttered up from its generated wind as the fast car passed them by. Trees rushed waved at them from the cool wind of the air, and Harli was half expecting to see some Walkers. But it was odd to her that they saw none. It had already been almost an hour since they left the prison, and the car ride was beginning to get stale and quiet. Daryl exchanged a few small words with Michonne in the back, but it was more of a one sided conversation on his part.

Daryl reached down towards the radio and turned it on, tuning it back and forth with the twist of a nob. He looked over at Harli, and for a second, nodded towards the glove box, "Why don't you hand me one of them CD's right there..."

Harli reached into the glove box and grabbed up a booklet of CD's, but she stopped when something caught her attention. But it didn't just catch her curiosity, it caught everyone else's as well. They all stared at the radio and Daryl leaned forward, trying to listen in as closely as his keen ears would let. A scratchy voice spoke through the white noise, its words barely audible over the waves.

"Is that a voice?" Bob asked and Daryl threw up his finger, hushing him up and returning to the tuning. Daryl desperately tried to get the voice to become clearer, but he was having a hard time tuning it. He looked up at Harli and she stared back at him, equally confused and surprised at the voice. The two then looked back down at the radio as Daryl bounced back and forth between stations, trying to determine the best one that made the voice clearer.

But no one seemed to be paying attention to the road.

At the last second, Daryl took a quick glimpse back at the road and grabbed the steering wheel, ripping it to the left. Harli gasped and looked up, seeing Walkers now littering the road ways. She grabbed onto the handle above her and held on tight as her body threatened to toss side to side. Daryl did his best to dodge the Walkers before them, barely hitting them as he swiped on by them. The car swerved and screeched at the high speeds it was coming down from, and a break in the Walkers gave them some sort of relief. But Harli's eyes widened at the sight before her, and Daryl pressed on the breaks as the car hurriedly came to a dead halt.

Everyone stared in shock at the Walkers before them. It wasn't just a few, or a couple dozen, there was hundreds, maybe thousands of them now standing before the five man team. Walkers slammed up against the car, clawing at the windshield and windows all around them. A few attempted to crawl on top of the hood to get at them, but they slid off and back to their feet in their attempts. Soon, the interior of the car began to get dark from all of the Walkers crowding up against the windows.

"Grab somethin'!" Daryl shouted and slammed his hand up against the back of Harli's seat, looking behind him once he tossed the car in reverse. He shoved the accelerator to the floor and the car sped backwards, mowing down and shoving away the Walkers that crowded around behind them.

But soon, the car came to a dead halt once again and Harli felt herself lurch forward. She panted with adrenaline and she looked through the window, seeing Walkers hurrying back towards the vehicle. Michonne leaned forward and pointed, "Go to the left!"

Daryl pushed the car back into drive and slammed his foot back down on the gas. Harli could hear the tire's spinning, but they were not going anywhere anytime soon. Daryl twirled the steering wheel back and forth, trying to get the car back on the road so he could get the hell out of there. But the vehicle would not budge, they were absolutely stuck.

"It's jammed up!" Daryl shouted and looked at everyone in the back seat, "Alright, let's run for the gaps right there! You make a run for the woods and you don't stop for nothin' you hear me!?"

He stared into everyone's fearful eyes, seeing mostly uncertainty in them. But he couldn't waste any more time, they had to leave now, "Now!"

Harli and Michonne were the first out of the jammed up car, Michonne tearing her katana from its sheath and Harli sliding the knife out from her belt. Harli booted a Walker in the chest and ran, plunging her knife into the heads of any Walkers that threated her safety. Michonne slashed and stabbed, staying next to Harli as they mowed a path down for those behind them to hopefully follow. Harli looked over her shoulder just at the sound of gunshots, seeing Bob putting Walkers down with a quick pull of the trigger. Daryl wasn't far behind Harli and Michonne, crashing the end of his crossbow and the sharp blade of his knife into Walkers that got between him and Harli.

"Ty!?" Harli heard Bob shout loudly over the ghastly snarls of the Walkers. Harli's keen eyes looked past him to see Tyreese still in the car, "Ty!?"

Daryl slid up next to Harli, looking back to see Tyreese finally exiting the car. Walkers crowded up next to him, their hands attempting to touch his skin with their grimy fingers. Tyreese's broad arm brought down his hammer, breaking open the skulls of many Walkers. Bob hurried his way through the crowd, trying his best to reunite with the three that were almost safe. Harli grabbed Bob's arm and pulled him towards them, their eyes all looking back to Tyreese. He was being overrun, and Daryl almost ran forward to help him but Harli stopped him.

"Go! Go!" Tyreese shouted back at them, and for a few moments, no one would budge.

Daryl pushed them along, hurrying them along to get them away from the danger as fast as possible. Walkers weren't far behind them as they all rushed into the forest, Daryl making sure that Harli was close to him at all times. He led them through the thick brush, trying to find a safe place that would lead them away from overwhelming danger that threatened all their lives. He did not want to leave Tyreese behind, but saving him might have cost them all their lives.

Everyone tore through the woods, Walkers now coming from all directions. The group fanned out from each other and took down Walkers that were in their way. Harli kept half wanted to take out her bow so she could avoid close contact with the corpses, but wasting arrows now, of all times, would not be a smart decision. Bob stayed close to Harli, only having his gun hooked to his hip. Even he knew that using his gun now would only cause them more problems, so staying close to the woman that killed silently was his best option. But once Harli's knife got caught in a Walkers head, she stumbled to the ground with it and heaved with all her strength to get it out. Bob lunged forward and pistol whipped a Walker that threatened Harli, the two nodding at each other in thanks.

"This way!" Daryl shouted at them, and Harli finally got her knife from the Walkers head and followed suite. Harli rushed up behind Daryl down a deer trail, the four breaking out in a clearing of nice brush. They ducked down into another patch of brush to get out of sight and sound from the Walkers. Daryl looked behind him, bringing Harli up in front of him so he could keep an eye on her. And as Bob and Michonne cleared next to him, Daryl heard a rather loud shuffle coming from a thicket behind them.

"Hold up!" Daryl stopped and turned around, walking slowly towards the thicket. He quickly reloaded his crossbow with a bolt, raising it up and pointing it out in front of him. The rustling became louder, so now, Harli, Michonne, and Bob now readied for what was about to come out at them. Harli had her bow out and ready, arrow docked with her fingers on the string.

Walkers came rushing out of the brush towards them, and Harli and Daryl raised their bows and ready to fire. But a thump stopped them from firing, and soon, one of the Walkers fell to the ground. There stood Tyreese, his chest heaving with breaths. The large man fell to his knees and doubled over, his body covered with stale Walker blood and guts. Harli fired her arrow at the last standing Walker, and Daryl and Bob hurried forward to get Tyreese to his feet.

They got him up and out of the way just as another horde of Walkers crashed through the trees behind them.


	42. Chapter 42

**AN: Please, please forgive me for my absence. School kind of destroyed my writing agenda so it's taken me a while to muscle up and get back to this story. I started school again a couple weeks ago and it's my last semester... so I'm hoping it won't be as aggressive as this last year. **

**Excuse me if my writing isn't as good as it used to be . obviously been a really long time since I've written lol**

**But anyways, thank you guys for sticking with me and I'll do my best to make up for my absence :) PM me if any of you would like to chat!**

**Oh, and welcome new fans!**

Harli made sure she was upstream from where the others were; where Tyreese was washing himself of the Walker blood from their last attack. After they had gotten to safety, he had passed out for a good half an hour. The large man finally came to and they traveled to a stream, where Tyreese proceeded to wash himself and clear his head of ill-thoughts. Daryl ordered for the small group to take a short, ten minute break before they hurried on towards their destination. With their original path now blocked by a ridiculously large amount of ravenous Walkers, going around was the best option at that point.

Harli wiped her wet hand across her forehead, letting the water roll down her hot, sweaty face. She let out a sigh and stood up from her crouched state, staring back at the others that stood on the bridge patiently. Tyreese was on the other side of the bridge, rinsing himself of all the blood and gore that he sustained during his battle with the Walker horde. Daryl, Michonne, and Bob all waited patiently for him to finish.

Harli shouldered her backpack and bow, wiping her wet hands off on her pant-legs. As she looked up at the bridge again, she caught Daryl's striking blue eyes and stopped for a moment. He nodded towards the group, and Harli's legs rolled their gears to continue keeping her on pace. She climbed her way outta the creek bed and stepped back onto the path, stopping next to Michonne, who scanned the forest around them. Michonne took notice to Harli's return and stared over at her, Harli returning a smile in reply to her dark-eyed gaze.

"So now that we've gathered our senses, where to now?" Harli grabbed at her backpack strap, looking through the crop of trees next to the group.

"Depending on where we're at in these trees, might be something just down the stream." Michonne nodded to the south of the creek bed. Harli then realized that the three were looking at a map Daryl had brought.

"Looks like that's our best chance of finding a new ride." Bob voiced and nodded, but looked at Tyreese,

"Yo!? Ty!?" He shouted and Tyreese slowly looked at his group on the bridge, "Come on! Let's go, Vamanos!"

Daryl swung his crossbow up onto his shoulder and began to stalk off, Harli not far behind him, and Michonne not far behind Harli. Harli looked over when she heard Bob call to Tyreese, but she was beginning to get too far away to hear what they were conversing about. Harli jogged up next to Daryl, seeing that he was walking particularly fast. Her shorter legs worked faster and she kept pace with him, looking over at his rugged face as they walked.

"Daryl, slow down we don't want to leave them behind." Harli quickly looked over her shoulder and saw Tyreese and Bob just then leaving the creekbed.

"They'll catch up, we ain't got time to lollygag."

"I know that but," Harli grabbed his arm and pulled on it, "We gotta stick together. You saw what happened back there, we can't be spread out."

Daryl slowed his pace and looked over at her, letting out a slightly annoyed sigh. Harli took a deep breath and let it out, "I want to help everyone too, but we can't do that if we're dead."

Daryl looked back at her and stopped for a second, "I know, but you of all people know we don't got time to waste we gotta keep goin'."

Harli mentally sighed to herself and looked back over her shoulder as they stepped out onto an old path. Bob and Tyreese were finally catching up to the small survival pack, Tyreese's forlorn eyes only staring at the ground instead of his surroundings. Harli couldn't imagine the pain he was going through, and at the thought of it, her hand raised to her scalp where she rubbed Hershel's stitching, "Shouldn't be touching that."

Michonne was now walking next to Harli, whose hand dropped back down to her side. She let out a light huff, "Just making sure it was still there and that it really happened."

"Oh, it happened alright." Michonne said bluntly, "I'm still just as surprised as you are."

Before Harli could reply, she noticed Daryl quickly kneel down and snatch something from the dirt. Michonne and Harli stopped next to him, watching as he licked a couple of his fingers and wiped away at the stone. Michonne tilted her head, "Is that Jasper?" It was a small, green rock in his fingers Harli noticed, and she was just as curious. Daryl nodded back at Michonne while continuing to try to wipe the rock clean. "It's a good color... brings out your eyes."

Harli snorted a laugh and shook her head, staring off into the woods. Michonne smiled widely while staring at Daryl, who brushed the comment off his shoulder. He avoided the subject as he spoke about the Jasper in his hand, "This guy Rich, in A block... asked me to keep a lookout when we were leavin'. He's gonna use it for an Old Man's Marker."

"You know all of them back there?" Michonne asked curiously. Daryl tossed the rock up in his hand and caught it, continuing down the path,

"Stay in a place for more than a couple hours... surprised what you can pick up!"

As Harli followed after Daryl, she saw Michonne continue on, her eyes staring at the ground below her. Harli's bright green eyes looked through the forestry around her as the small group of survivors trekked down the run down trail. Her sharp sight kept an eye out for any enemies, living or dead, but through the next patch of trees, she saw an interesting sight.

Harli's boots found dirty concrete as she and her group descended upon a small town. She remembered when they had passed through briefly, on their way back to the prison from a scouting mission. "There's a gas station up ahead, let's get there quick and find a car and supplies." Daryl expressed with urgency.

As they walked closer to the small service station, Harli stared at the gas station sign. It was covered in vines and broken shrubbery, the numbers of the price turned upside down to read "hell". The large aluminum clad building stood in rickets, and a hefty tree was keeled over the top of it; the branches covered the building like a blanket. Harli stopped and stared into one of the cloudy windows, the group stopping as well. Bob narrowed his eyes, "You see something?"

"I don't know, maybe..." Daryl said. His eyes observed the large cluster of vines overlapping the door.

"Hey, look at this." Harli called and everyone's eyes moved over to her. A clump of vines and stray branches clung to the body of a car. She tugged at the vegetation and ripped the vines apart, tossing it aside and grabbing at another clump.

Everyone latched onto the shrubs and tore it all away from the small car; Daryl ripped open the door and leaned down on the passenger side floor. His rough hands reached up under the steering wheel and he tore apart the undercarriage, peeling a clump of wires out from beneath. He heard someone trying to open the driver's side door, but after another couple seconds, it squealed open and his blue eyes saw Harli staring down at him. She watched as he whipped out his knife and sliced a blue and green wire held in his hand. He snapped the two ends of the wires together, back and forth, but Harli could not see a spark between them ignite. After a few more seconds of trying, Daryl huffed and threw the clump of wires down on the floor, unable to jump start the car.

"We gotta find us a new battery." Daryl lifted himself from the inside of the vehicle and shut the passenger's side door. He looked at the stone wall of the side of the building, seeing a cloudy window. He spit on his fingers and rubbed them against the window, instantly recoiling at the sign of hands slamming up against it from the other side.

"Looks like we got some friends inside." Harli walked around the driver's side of the car and towards the front of the building.

"Let's clear a path," Daryl said as he motioned towards the barricaded door, "see how many we got."

Everyone took a position around the tree and began ripping at its branches, peeling away the vines that wrapped themselves around the tree. Harli pulled out her knife and stood in between Michonne and Tyreese. Michonne slid her sword from its sheath, swiping away the large plants before her. Harli watched Tyreese out of the corner of her eye hack away aggressively, his machete devastating everything in its wake.

"Man go easy," Daryl said from the other end of the tree, "dunno what we're dealing with."

Tyreese paid no mind to Daryl and started to tug at the branches, tossing them aside and continuing his large swings. Harli took a couple steps to the side towards Michonne to avoid his large swings. She soon heard a cling and Tyreese stopped for a moment, his machete obviously caught on something. The large man yanked his hatchet as hard as he could, but was unable to get his weapon free. "Tyreese, easy, I don't think that's a good-"

Before Harli could finish her sentence, she heard a snap and Tyreese pulled his machete out from the depths of the trees branches. On the end of the weapon, wires wrapped around the blade and Tyreese stared at them with a slight sense of confusion. With his other hand, he pulled the wires off the blade and tossed them to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, a hand flew out from the confines of the vines and grabbed onto Harli's shirt, pulling her towards the shrubs. Harli yelped and pulled back, her shirt ripped under the Walkers tight grip. But she wasn't the only one who was being attacked, numerous Walkers clawed their ways through the vines, grabbing onto each one of the survivors. Harli held the Walker as steady as she could while lifting her hand up and stabbing its skull with her trusty knife. Its body went limp and she jumped back, seeing that Daryl and Michonne had already handled their own enemies, but Bob and Tyreese were still in a predicament.

Michonne ran up and sliced the head off the Walker that clung to Bob. He fearfully sauntered backwards and fell to the ground, but Tyreese was still latched on the Walker attacking him. Harli watch as Tyreese angrily ripped the Walker towards him, his large hands clasped onto the arms of the Walker. He heaved and pulled, trying his best to tear the undead corpse out of the vines that kept them apart.

"Tyreese!" Bob called to him, but Tyreese ignored his fellow survivor.

"Ty!" Daryl shouted, but to no avail, Tyreese's attention still fixed itself on the Walker before him. Daryl hesitated to act, not wanting another incident with Tyreese like Rick had.

"Tyreese let him go!" Harli said, eyeing Michonne, who had her sword ready to impale the animalistic carcass.

With one last heavy pull, the Walker flew out from the vines and on top of Tyreese as they both toppled to the ground. Daryl reacted quickly and grabbed the Walker's decayed shirt, yanking it off Tyreese. It fell back and Bob quickly jumped over the top of it, Harli's ears ringing at the loud bang of the gunshot that ended the Walkers misery. Harli saw Tyreese struggling to get to his feet and she quickly grabbed his arm, hoisting his heavy weight upwards. Panting, Tyreese turned away from Harli and towards the road, stopping when Michonne asked him a question everyone else was wondering.

"Why the hell didn't you let go?"

Tyreese said no word, only looking forward as he continued to catch his breath.

"Come on, let's get what we need and get the hell out of here." Daryl called and walked toward where Tyreese had been chopping up with his machete.

After clearing out the brush, Daryl finally opened up the front door to the service station. He kept his flashlight tight in one hand as he lifted the nose of his crossbow, aiming it steadily as his eyes scanned the dim surroundings. Harli and Bob weren't far behind him as they stepped into the station, the inside cold and quiet. Harli moved around the rotted out door and moved towards another doorway. At the sign of the darkness in the next room, she popped her flashlight out of her back pocket and clicked it on, shining it around the room. There were shelves upon shelves of scattered materials, as well as a mix of both automotive and perishable goods. She unhooked one strap of the backpack on her bag and grabbed what she deemed might be useful; a couple rolls of tape, some zip ties, cans of beans and old soup, and even a small bottle of soap.

Harli then looked down and scrunched her nose, scoffing at the sight below her. She took a step back, bumping into something warm, "That's puke."

Daryl said as he shined his light on the floor, staring at the old, bloody remnants of someone's stomach bile. Near it, a large, yet empty bottle of antifreeze sat, Harli shook her head, "Looks like someone tried to take the easy way out."

"Must've been them douchbags in the vines..." Daryl stepped over the bile and continued looking around the room, "They were holdin' hands... Kumbayah style."

Bob stood behind Harli, "They wanted to go out together, same as they lived, does that make them douchebags?"

"Does if they could've gotten out." Daryl said plainly.

"Everybody makes it... till they don't." Bob said, "People nowadays? Dominos. What they did? Maybe it's not about watching them fall. Harli looked over at him,

"If you've got the will power, you can make it out every time."

"You say that from experience?" Bob asked her and Daryl looked back at him, narrowing his eyes. Harli smiled,

"Maybe once or twice..." She expressed nonchalantly.

"Come on..." Daryl said lightly and both Harli and Bob moved over to his side, "Look at this."

Daryl pointed his flashlight as the ground, and as Harli looked in the direction, she saw two pale, piercing eyes glaring back at her. The Walker glared hungrily at the three, its hands stretching out at them in futile attempts to get a meal. Harli stood over the Walker, large panels of ceiling tiles and two-by-fours crushing its body. She tilted her head at the next morbid sight, seeing a think rope wrapped around its decaying neck. Daryl huffed and walked away from it, stalking the shelves around the store for more supplies.

Harli stood next to Bob, seeing a very distant look in his eyes. From the Walker, he then looked up at a board where pictures of happy hunters were posted, and by what Harli could see, the once living image of the Walker before her stood in one of the pictures. Her green eyes moved back to Bob, "Try not to let it get to you too much."

"W-what, you're just gonna leave him here?" Bob asked as Harli turned around to walk away. The brunette looked over her shoulder,

"Do what you think is right." She said no more and turned back to see Daryl grabbing his car battery and walking back out the door. She grabbed a couple of jugs of water on her way out, hearing a light crack of what she believed was something Bob had shoved through the Walkers head.

"Got it all cleaned up." Michonne said as Harli approached. The car was now completely free of the vines' thick grasp. Harli nodded her head,

"Took you guys long enough." She said jokingly with a smile, Michonne shrugged a shoulder,

"Would've liked to see you get it done faster with that flimsy knife of yours."

"Harli, come here." Daryl called to her and Harli gave one last glance to Michonne before she dropped her back and walked to the young Dixon's side. Daryl nodded his head at the old battery, "Unhook that thing and toss it, would ya?"

"Yes sir..." Harli reached under the hood and quickly unhooked the connectors. Grabbing onto the handle, she hoisted the heavy battery out of the cars front and chucked it into the tall grass. It landed up against the side of the building with a loud band, making Harli jump a bit, "Oops..."

"Ain't no big deal." Daryl said. Harli breathed in and took in a nice whiff of second hand smoke, seeing a cigarette limply drooping from his lips.

"You know I hate it when you smoke." She frowned while leaning over the vehicle. Daryl huffed,

"You get over it though, right?" He asked sarcastically and Harli just rolled her eyes.

Bob finally emerged from the cool depths of the shop and leaned on the wall, watching as Daryl grabbed the small battery from the ground and hoisted it up onto the car, "So Bob," Daryl started, "You never told us 'bout the group you were in before."

"Which one?" Bob asked, smoke curling out of his own lips as he lit his own cigarette, "You know, when you guys found me out on that road, I almost kept walkin'."

"Why is that?" Daryl asked curiously, the hot Georgian sun beating down on his sun-kissed skin.

"Cuz I was done being a witness." Bob said plainly as Daryl began to pour water into the radiator, "Two times, two different groups. I was the last one standing. Like I was supposed to see it happen, over and over, like it's some kind of curse. But... when it's just you out there with the quiet, used to be I would drink a bottle of anything just to close my eyes and sleep at night. Figured the prison, the people, thought it'd be easier. That run to the Big Spot... I did it for me."

"Well... gotta keep you busy." Daryl said as he dipped the large jug of water back and took a large swig.

"No," Bob said sternly, his eyebrows knitting, "I did it to get me a bottle. If anything. I picked it up, held it in my hand, but I put it down. I put it down so hard it took the whole shelf with it. That's what brought on the Walkers, that's what got Zack killed."

Harli and Daryl exchanged quick eye contact, and Daryl looked back at Bob, "That's bullshit." Bob looked doubtful upon hearing Daryl's words, so Daryl scoffed, "Why don't you get in there and try the engine. It's the red and the green wire." Daryl quickly put the cap back on the batteries connectors and looked back at Bob, who didn't move.

Bob stared at him a bit confused and Daryl pointed towards the car, "Come on, it ain't rocket science."

Bob sighed and pushed off the wall, walking around the front of the car and into the driver's side of the vehicle. Daryl leaned over the engine, "Give it some gas."

"Could've had me do that." Harli looked up at Daryl and he shrugged,

"Do the guy some good learnin' something useful for once." Daryl shook his head, "Can't even jumpstart a car, what a joke."

"Oh, go easy on him." Harli tilted her head and stared at the engine of the car.

Her interested heightened when she heard the key turn over and the engine roar to life. Daryl leaned back and clapped his hands together, "Damn I'm good."

"You keep telling yourself that." Harli smiled at him musingly and he huffed,

"You remember where you learned half that shit you know now, princess."

"Excuse me?" Harli said, a little offended at the name he gave her. Daryl didn't bother to give another smart ass retort. He turned around and whistled to Michonne and Tyreese, who sat together in the shade of a tree.

Daryl shut the hood of the car and walked over to the driver's side, staring at Bob, "Me, Sasha, and Harli picked that spot. We took you with us... there was no way anyone would've known. You ain't gonna be standin' alone, not anymore."

Daryl tossed his vest into the passenger's side seat and called out to the others, "Let's go!"

Grabbing all the supplies they managed to scavenge from the service store, they pulled open the side door to the van that they had just brought back to life. Harli was grateful they had found a vehicle with a decent amount of space; trying to squeeze into the back of a car with both Tyreese and Bob sharing a back seat with her was getting to be too much.

**.:=:.**

The sun was beginning to set, but it was still far from being the end of the day. Anguish crawled up Harli's spine, but she knew she couldn't let her fatigue get the best of her. She stared out the window at the small town they finally arrived in, houses and stores rotting where they stood. Her fingers unconsciously rose up to her temple, where the sore stiches of her gunshot wound mutilated her scalp. Harli let out a deep breath and looked through the windshield, Bob turning the wheel onto a larger street. Cars and dead bodies littered the roadway, and he did his best to avoid them all. Being stranded so far from the prison was not a viable option, especially with so many lives riding on their shoulders.

"There's the street." Daryl pointed, "Stop right up here; we don't wanna get the van stuck if we get ambushed. Want a clean escape."

Bob took Daryl's advice and pulled onto a small side road, putting the van in park and turning off the ignition. Harli slid open the side door and popped out, wrapping her bows strap around her shoulders and taking a quick look around. Surprisingly, there weren't any Walkers to be seen, but that didn't mean they weren't out there, somewhere. Harli heard a light whistle and looked over her shoulder, Daryl and the others waiting for her patiently. She spun around and jogged towards them, following the small group around a corner and up against a fence.

"Looks like we're getting closer." Daryl said and Tyreese nodded, staring at a paper that Hershel had given him,

"Yeah, looks like it's just up ahead."

"Closer than that." Harli said and they group stopped for a second, looking down an alleyway, "Looks like that's it right there."

The college stood only a block away and the small group rushed through the ally as quietly as they could. At the end of the way, Daryl planted a bolt into a stray Walkers head, and just as they passed the downed corpse, Daryl ripped the bolt from the carcasses head, "Keep an eye out." He said to them under his breath.

Harli was the first to the door and took out her knife, pulling it open and stepping in quietly. She scanned the settings around her, waiting for something to jump out at her from the shadows. Daryl wasn't far behind her, in fact, she could feel the heat radiating off his body. Goose bumps rose on her skin, but she kept her composure and mind on the task at hand. She then felt his rough hand touch her shoulder, "Let me go first..." He whispered.

Harli nodded and let him pass, a doorway blocking their view up ahead. The five clung together as Daryl opened the door, it was an outdoor hallway leading to another area of the college. Quickly, they slipped into the wing of the building and Michonne shut the door quietly behind them. Daryl grunted, "Jackpot."

They had made it into the veterinary science wing without going that far at all, making Harli breathe a sigh of relief. It almost seemed too good to be true. Cages of all sizes littered the walls and desks of the room, as well as beakers and pans of all types. Gauze pads, bottles of rubbing alcohol, and iodine stacked in cupboards above her. Harli then looked over at Tyreese, who stared at the paper that Hershel had given him, "Tyreese, let me see that."

He gave it to her and she quickly looked over the many different medications that Hershel had sent for. Noting two distinct ones, she then handed the paper to Bob and followed Michonne into the next room, and when she walked in, she was in awe.

Stacks of completely untouched bottles of antibiotics.

Bob wasn't far behind the two women, and he ran up to the glass cupboards they stared at, "Wow, look at all this... unbelievable."

"Well believe it." Harli said as she wheeled open the cupboard, "Anything ending with –cilin or –cin, C-I-N, grab it. We can dissolve the pills in the IV's and straight into the bloodstream." Michonne had already grabbed at least five bottles of medications and stuffed them in the duffle bag on the counter behind her. Harli crammed more and more bottles into her bag by the second. She was ecstatic at the stash they had found; all she could think about were the happy faces of the sick people they would be saving as soon as they got back to the prison. It was a break they needed to catch.

"How'd you do?" Harli heard Bob ask and she looked over her shoulder to see Daryl and Tyreese strutting into the room.

They both had two large bags, Tyreese tossing his on one of the counters, "Bags, tools, clamps, connectors, just about everything on the list."

"What bout ya'll?" Daryl asked and Harli looked back at the cabinet,

"I think we got it all..." She said, scanning the various bottles before her to make sure she didn't look over anything. Michonne did the same,

"Yeah... we're good."

"Alright..." Daryl said with satisfaction, "Let's roll!"

Everyone grabbed their bags and hoisted them up onto their shoulders. Harli held her bow in her hand this time, not enough room on her back for it to sit. They hurried out of the room and into a dark hallway, chairs and desks scattered all over the edges of the walls. At that second, Harli clicked on her flashlight and helped illuminate their surroundings with the help of everyone else's lights. It wasn't the exact way they had come from, but it was another exit that seemed to take them back to the van faster than the other way.

Daryl flashed his light at an exit sign and followed the arrow that guided their way. They quickly moved through the hallway, but Daryl slowed and pointed into a doorway where the door had been broken. Seeing movement, Daryl moved his hand for them to move, and as Harli passed the door, a Walker emerged. Her heart leapt up into her throat and she quickened after the group, loud snarls beginning to echo through their ears. Daryl quickly pushed open a door that had lead into a rather large storage room, the damp air clinging to Harli's skin like tape. As Harli walked further into the room, accompanied by Michonne, her flashlight danced off the shimmering bars of more and more cages.

"Hey! Doors busted!" Bob whispered loudly as he pressed his shoulder up against the door. Daryl turned around,

"Hold up." He called to the two women in front, retreating to where Bob was stationed at the door.

The three men barricaded the door just as the snarls of the Walkers outside began to reach their ears. Michonne and Harli began to lead once again, Walkers beating up against the door in attempts to get in. Michonne had her hand clasped onto her swords handle, ready to yank it out if necessary. As they moved through the maze of cages and kennels, Harli saw Michonne's flashlight go over a sign above a door. It was a sign that signaled a staircase was nearby.

"There!" Michonne whispered, leading the line behind her.

A loud, raspy gasp came out from the shadows and Harli heard a loud grunt. Everyone turned behind them to see a Walkers neck in the thick grasp of Tyreese's hand, his hammer slamming mercilessly into the Walkers head. Before they knew it, the Walker fell to the ground in defeat and Tyreese's wild eyes looked back to them, his head nodding for them to go forward.

As they approached the door, Harli saw the heavy lock wrapped through the door handles. She shook her head and grabbed the thick padlock, "That figures."

The doors were shoved forward, but stopped at a certain point as Walkers arms stretched through the crack of the doors. Daryl grabbed Harli by the shoulder and stepped in front of her. She knew that he was starting to get a bit uneasy, "How many?" He asked as he tried to count the Walkers behind the door.

"Can't tell." Michonne shook her head, trying to count the Walkers as well.

"Uh, guys." Harli was unnerved when she looked back to see Walkers already breaking through the barricaded door.

"We can take 'em!" Tyreese barked and Bob drew his gun,

"No! They're infected! Same as everyone at the prison!" Bob shouted distraughtly over the Walkers rather loud snarling, "We shoot them, get our blood on us, breathe it in, we didn't come all this way to get sick!"

"How do we know the ones in there aren't any different!?" Tyreese asked and Michonne still looked through the cracks of the doors before her,

"We don't!"

"We'll its gotta be sometime!" Daryl said. He lunged forward and kicked the leg of an upside down desk, ripping at it to get it unhinged.

"Tyreese, give me some light!" Harli asked as she docked an arrow on her bow. Tyreese's shaky hand shined the orb of his flashlight behind them, a Walker slowly managing to get to its feet. In a split second, Harli aimed and fired, the arrow penetrating the undead skull and sending it to the floor. But it was of no use, the Walkers behind the door they had barricaded broke through without any more hesitation.

"You ready!?" Harli heard Daryl shout and she backed up once he saw him readying to break the lock.

"Do it!" Tyreese shouted. He was obviously ready to take down whatever was coming out of the door in front of them.

Daryl snapped the chain and Walkers broke through the confines of the padlocked doors. Bob was the first to take one down, he's pistols bullet ripping viciously through a Walkers head. Tyreese swung his hammer and Michonne her sword, more Walkers falling to their demise. Harli was more concerned with the horde that now tried to box them in the way they came, their eyes bleeding like the sickness that had taken over the prison.

"Harli, come on!" Daryl called to her. She was amazed at how quick they had cleared the Walkers, but took no more time getting out of the darkness.

She followed Daryl closely into the stairwell, light shining on her face through the windows above them. Her legs worked furiously to get her body up the stairs, her lungs beginning to lightly burn. The Walkers weren't far behind, but stairs weren't quite their forte, so it bought them minimal time to get out quickly.

They got to the top of the stairs and busted through the door, but Harli already knew their presence was known as soon as Bob's gunshot went off. Down the hallway, Walkers were already hot on their trail. They turned and made an escape down the opposite side, which was seemingly safe. But as they made their way through the halls, Walkers lurched out from the shadows of classrooms. Harli jabbed her knife into the temple of a Walkers skull, hurling it to the ground and jumping over its body. Michonne dispatched another with one swift swing of her blade.

Behind Harli, Bob was throwing desks and other scattered furniture in the way of the Walkers in order to stall them. Some tripped and fell, some easily stepped over the hurdles, their anguish too empty to fulfill.

"We don't have an exit!" Michonne said, the stairwell she was trying to get to was locked behind a thick door. Daryl shoved up against it, but even with his brute strength, the door didn't bust open.

"Then we'll make one!" Daryl shouted and jumped up onto a ledge near a window.

"Down!" Tyreese yelled and threw a fire extinguisher as hard as he could into the window. Daryl shielded himself from the broken glass the flung all over the room.

"Move it!" Tyreese grabbed Michonne and hoisted her up to the window sill,

"Get down to the walk way below!" Daryl ordered as he helped her get out the window. Tyreese was next as he jumped up to the window, climbing through and jumping to the canopy where Michonne was waiting.

Daryl looked back at Harli, and her green eyes locked with his, "Go I'm right behind you!"

Daryl hesitated, but after seeing her beginning to climb up behind him he jumped through the window and onto the awning. Harli stepped out of the window and jumped, her boots slamming onto the steel of the walkway shelter.

She gasped when something slammed into her back and she toppled forward. She was brought face to face to the end of the canopy, Walkers hands outstretched and their snarling faces glaring up at her. Fearfully, her fingers clung to the edge and she looked over, seeing Bob doubled over in the same manner as her. But he desperately clung onto his backpack, the Walkers yanking and pulling at it in a deadly game of tug of war. It crossed Harli's mind that it must've been Bob who had accidently hit her, causing her to be in the same situation.

A thick arm wrapped around her waist and hoisted her to her feet.

Daryl moved around Harli quickly and reached for Bob, who still fought the Walkers for his bag.

"Bob! Let it go!" Michonne begged of him, but he didn't listen to her in the slightest.

"Let it go man!" Tyreese tugged at Bob's other backpack on his body, trying to get him to his feet. By this time, both Daryl and Michonne were trying their hardest to get him to his feet, "Just let it go!"

"Let go of the bag man!" Daryl shouted, and finally, Bob had won the battle and both he and his bag were flung to safety.

Bob's green bag landed with an all too familiar clinging sound, and Daryl narrowed his eyes at the bag. He walked towards it and knelt down, seeing the top of a bottle sticking out of the opening. He grabbed it and yanked it out of the bags confines, staring at the musky looking liquid. It was a half empty bottle of bourbon.

Bob slowly got to his feet, staring at the bottle in Daryl's hand. Daryl looked back at him, his jaw tightening, "Ain't no meds in your bag...? Just this?"

Bob didn't say a word, his breathing continuing to become more erratic. Daryl bit at him, "You should've kept walkin' that day." Daryl then turned and double stepped, readying to throw the bottle as hard as he could into the distance, but Bob stopped him.

Harli's lips parted in shock when Bob placed his hand on his pistol sitting casually in its holster.

As if Bob were challenging him, Daryl walked forward and pressed his forehead against Bob's, pushing him back. Bob submitted and backed away, but Daryl kept at him. He reached for Bob's gun and ripped it out of the holster. Daryl couldn't believe the audacity of the man that stood before him, choosing alcohol over the many lives that depended on them back at the prison. Not only did he hold their lives in his hands, but Harli's as well. With his jaw tight, he breathed to Bob as he latched onto his jacket in a death grip, "You're god damn lucky that bag didn't knock Harli off this canopy and into those Walkers hands. You don't want to know what kind of things I would do to you."

"Just let it go Daryl!" Tyreese said, trying to calm to situation, "The man's made his choice. Nothing you can do about it."

"Daryl..." Harli's calm voice managed to reach his ears and he felt her hand on his shoulder, "Just gotta let it go."

Daryl let out a huff and shoved Bob back, who couldn't muscle up the courage to look Daryl in the eye, "I didn't wanna hurt nobody... it's just for when it gets quiet."

Daryl slammed the bottle up against Bob's chest, "You take one sip before those meds get to our people... I will beat your ass into the ground. You hear me?"

Daryl didn't even need an answer from Bob to know he got his point across. He could feel Bob tremble under his grasp; the wrath of god had been scared into that man. He turned around and shoved Bob's pistol into the lip of his pants, grabbing his trusty crossbow off the canopy and following the steel trail to the other side of the building.

Harli looked back at Bob, who angrily grabbed his bag and followed after them. As sympathetic as she usually was, she felt no remorse for him.


	43. Chapter 43

**AN: School is finally over for me! After going into college straight out of high school 4 years ago I'm finally free for a while woohoo! Now time to look for a job... ugh. Anyways, gonna try to keep up with this story now that I have some free time and hopefully get caught up before Season 6. My boyfriend bought me the Season 4 collector's edition and we watched some of it the other night and it finally brought some of my writing muse back c: **

**Honestly, after this story hits 50 chapters I think I'm going to start another title with the same plot and everything for Season 5 or whatever. The only reason why I would hesitate to do that is if Daryl dies (yeah right lawls) and that new title only being like 10-15 chapters. I don't want this to be one of those stories that has a billion chapters in it, so most likely once this hits 50 (maybe even 45 I'm not sure yet) , start looking at my profile for a new title c:**

**Enjoy!**

"That's where I was traveling, Highway one hundred." Tyreese's large finger traced over the blue line on the crinkled map.

"Then it will take about seven hours to get there..." Michonne let out a sigh, her hands on her hips, "We're gonna need more gas."

"It's a highway, there's bound to be plenty of cars for us to stop and siphon from." Harli said as she glanced over her shoulder for a brief moment, seeing Daryl in the passenger's seat of the van they scavenged. His eyes were set on the small piece of jasper he had found earlier, his fingers twirling it over and under.

"Harli's right," Tyreese nodded and began folding up the map, "Find cars on the road. We'll get there."

Harli walked back towards the van, her hand grabbing up the handle of her backpack as she went. She passed the passenger's door, "We're taking highway one hundred."

"I heard." His raspy voice breathed annoyingly. Harli rolled her eyes at his attitude and popped open the side door to the van. She hopped in the third set of seats as Bob followed in behind her, taking his seat and stuffing his bag into the free space under his seat. His knee bounced anxiously; his mind dead set on drinking the booze as soon as they returned to the prison.

Tyreese shut the back door to the van and Michonne jumped into the driver's seat. Her dark eyes looked through the windshield, but her words directed at Daryl, "You were right what you said before, about the trail going cold. I don't need to go out anymore."

"Good." Daryl grunted and grabbed his door, slamming it shut. Bob slid his side door shut, as well as Tyreese. Once everyone was safe and secure in the van, Michonne started the engine and threw it into drive.

As the fields and forestry began to all mesh together once again, the journey back to the prison began. Harli knew that they would return to their designated home late that night; as Michonne said, it would take them at most seven hours to get back. At the thought of such a long distance for them to travel, Harli took a deep breath and lied down on the small seat, her green eyes staring at the shabby grey ceiling of the old van. The silence of the cab consumed her slowly and her eyelids grew heavy with fatigue. In only a few moments did she feel herself drift off into slumber; whatever sounds around her had slipped away into comfortable silence.

But as if it had lasted for only a few seconds, Harli's eyes popped open and the grey ceiling above her was clouded in a dark veil. Her hand rubbed her eye as she sat up, looking around the windows to see the darkness all around her. As her eyes adjusted, as well as her body, she noticed that no one occupied the seats in front of her, as well as the stationary state of the van. With the windows being as dirty as they were, there was no way she would be able to see outside for any of her fellow survivors.

Harli grabbed her bow and brushed her fingertips over her knife, making sure it was still there. She crawled towards the middle of the van and grabbed onto the latch, sliding the huge van door open. Her boot met with concrete as she stepped out, her chocolate brown hair curling away from her body in the soft wind. Her eyes searched for any friendly movement in the darkness, and just a few feet away sat a large truck, as well as a few more just ahead. At the sight of the vehicles, Harli knew Daryl, Michonne, Bob, and Tyreese must've been scavenging for gasoline and whatever else they could find.

Rubbing the back of her aching neck, Harli quietly began to walk towards where she thought she would find her counterparts. The wind began to pick up, Harli feeling the ends of her hair tug on her head as it whipped about. She kept one hand on her knife and the other on the strap of her bow, ready for anything with malice in its eyes. Her ears were being infiltrated by the wind, the trees rustling about and blowing its fallen leaf soldiers across the cold concrete. As much as she wanted to callout for someone, Daryl in specific, she couldn't risk their safety by attracting Walkers.

A light scuffle sounded behind Harli and her hand instinctively ripped her knife out of its sheath. She whirled around and swung her knife, startled when something wrapped around her wrist, "How many time's am I gonna save myself from being stabbed by you?"

"Depends on when you're going to learn not sneak up on me..." Harli was relieved to hear Daryl's voice through the darkness. She could barely make out his face in the pale moonlight of the sky, but it was enough to decipher his attractiveness. "Sometimes I think you like trying to scare me."

"Maybe just a bit." Harli could hear the smile in his voice, "The others should be back in a couple minutes, they're filling up the last gas can."

"How far out are we?" She asked curiously, following him back towards the van. He casually leaned against the bumper, resting his crossbow up against it as well.

"Maybe a couple hours or so."

"I was asleep for that long?" Harli said in disbelief, "Why didn't any of you wake me up."

"Didn't need to." Daryl said, "You needed the rest anyways, didn't sleep much last night did you?"

Harli remember the tossing and turning the night prior. Ever since her incident with the stranger shooting her in the head, she was having a hard time falling asleep, even for naps. Shifting somewhat uncomfortably, she walked next to Daryl and leaned up against the van beside him, "Well... definitely can say that I feel a bit better."

"How's your head?" Daryl asked as he lifted his hand, brushing his thumb up against her stitches as softly as he could.

"It's still a bit sore." Harli smiled as she grabbed his hand, lowering it from her wound, "Not very bothersome though, that's the only thing I was really worried about."

"Just want you to get meds in you already. I know you ain't got all those symptoms like the others back in the prison, but just want to be assured you're gonna be alright."

"I'm going to be just fine, regardless..." Harli scooted a bit closer to him, "I mean, if I were really that sick, you would've been sick by now, too, don't you think?"

"Yeah, maybe." Daryl said as he stared at the ground. He felt Harli's warm hand leave his,

"Oh by the way..." She said as she shuffled around in her back pocket, "I found these in the back of the van earlier."

Harli grabbed Daryl's hand once against and placed a small box in his palm. Daryl's brows knitted curiously as he looked down at the item in his hand. He scoffed with half a smile and looked back at her, "Thought you hated it when I smoked?"

"I know you enjoy it and..." Harli rubbed the back of her neck, laughing under her breath with a shrug, "Maybe I think it makes you look kinda cool?"

"_Kinda_ huh?" Daryl smiled in the darkness and Harli only shrugged,

"Yeah... kinda." She grabbed up his hand again, caressing her fingers against his palm, "And maybe later, when we get back, I'll give you a back massage or something to cool you down from today."

"I ain't arguin' that." Daryl said with gratification and Harli grinned,

"I know you're not." She pressed a short-lived kiss on his scruffy cheek.

"Alright, love-birds, time to get back on the road." Michonne's voice broke through the darkness, her figure barely visible in the moonlight. Daryl immediately bounced off the front bumper, crossbow in hand,

"Fill it up and let's get the hell out of here."

"Thanks for that." Harli growled to Michonne, who only smiled with accomplishment,

"Anytime my dear."

**.:=:.**

"What the hell happened here...?" Harli said in disbelief, her eyes staring wildly at the condition of the prison gates.

Carl had opened the iron gates for the van, and as they entered the no longer safe region of the prison, they noticed quite a few yards of fencing had been destroyed. Bob's eyes were wide, "Dear lord..."

"Hurry up there. They might need our help." Daryl commanded and Michonne stepped on the gas pedal, the van speeding up towards the only secure gate. Rick proceeded to open it up for them and Harli watched as Tyreese had the side door open before they even came to a stop.

"Sasha!? How's Sasha!?" Tyreese jumped out as soon as the van was put into park. Rick shook his head,

"I don't know. I'm sorry."

"Get in there, we got this." Daryl hopped out of the passenger's seat, his crossbow cocked and ready to go. Harli and Michonne were quick to be behind him, Harli pulling out her pistol in such a grave situation.

Harli and Michonne burst through the heavy door, their flashlights popping on. Harli moved towards cellblock C, keeping her eye out for any movement. As she looked through the cells, seeing nothing of interest, she moved up to the second floor, still not seeing anything concerning. She trudged back down the stairs and headed towards D block, where all the quarantined, sick survivors resided. As she made her way back through the commons, she spotted Bob out of the corner of her eye. He had just entered the confines of the building, bag full of the medication in hand. Harli called for him to follow her into D block, and follow her he did.

Harli stopped in the doorway once they had made it through the clammy hallways, seeing blood all over the floor. There were multiple lamps illuminating the huge block, bodies, blood, and entrails everywhere. Harli wondered what exactly happened while they were away, but as she moved closer to the bodies on the ground, she could decipher what might have gone down.

The bodies were former survivors claimed by the sickness. They had to have died and turned inside the jail cells and wreaked havoc. A few voices caught her ears from the second floor, and as she looked up, she saw Hershel's figured illuminated by a lamp. She looked over her shoulder at Bob behind her, who stared at the dead bodies around them, "Bob, you have to get the meds to Hershel or more are going to die."

"You're right." Bob hurried up the stairs to Hershel. His weathered, bearded face was relieved upon seeing Bob with bag in hand.

Harli let out a deep sigh and turned back around, walking back outside in which she came. The cool air of night washed against her skin and her attention was caught by Rick and Carl. Rick met her gaze as she slowly made her way towards them, Rick meeting her just about half way, "How bad is it?"

"We lost a few." She said simply, dropped her pistol back in the holster of her belt, "Seems like a bunch of them succumbed to the disease, died, and came back as Walkers. Bob's in there with the meds now... everyone who's still alive should be feeling better come tomorrow."

Rick breathed out heavily and rubbed the balls of his fingers into his eyes. Carl was meandering about the sea of Walker bodies, making sure each and every one of them was dead. Harli still couldn't believe the sight before her. Both fences had been torn down and their security was infiltrated, but what Harli couldn't believe the most out of everything was that Carl and Rick had taken down the horde all by themselves. There were so many Walkers; but their determination had gotten the best of them.

The heavy iron door of the building slammed shut and Harli looked over her shoulder, seeing Daryl stepping out of the caged corridor, "See the damage in there?" Harli only nodded and he then looked to Rick, "How you think we should handle this?"

"I think we should wait till morning." Harli put in her opinion.

"I agree." Rick nodded and looked at them both, "We wait till mornin' to deal with the bodies. For now, we should gather our bearings and deal with what's left of our sick. They should be our main priority.

"Agreed." Daryl said with his hand tight on the strap of his crossbow that draped over his shoulder.

Rick called to Carl and the four returned to the cellblock in which they called home. Harli had run into Maggie, who was gathering a few blankets to take back to cellblock A. After exchanging a few words in conversation, Harli had learned that Glenn had seized and almost died along with the others that weren't so lucky. Harli was pleased to hear that Glenn was going to pull through; Glenn was someone who she would've been incredibly devastated to see die. It was thanks to him that she was even standing where she was in that moment. She bid Maggie a good night and to let her know how everything was in the morning.

A couple hours had passed since her arrival back at the prison and Harli was still so exhausted from the day. Even though she had taken a good, long nap earlier, she couldn't help but feel completely drained. She didn't know if it was physical or mental fatigue, she just wanted it to be gone. So to help her rid herself of the demons that haunted her, she decided to take a shower, warm or not. Grabbing up a towel, Harli took her trusty knife and an old, yet clean towel down into the shower ward. She turned the knob of the shower and the cascade of liquid that came from the head was freezing cold. After waiting for a few more seconds, the water only barely warmed and Harli knew that was as good as it was going to get. With a disgruntled sigh, she peeled off her filthy clothing and stepped into the water.

Her lips parted in a sharp gasp as her body became immersed in the chilled water. She rubbed her hands up her belly and across her breasts, letting out her held breath and dipping her head under the water. Once her skin became acclimated to the temperature she proceeded to wash herself with what was left of a large bar of soap. She grabbed an old water bottle full of watered down, diluted shampoo and uncapped it, dumping a small bit of it on her scalp. Harli's fingers massaged the lather into her scalp, slowly moving her way down the length of her hair all the way to its tips. She then pushed her head back under the water and rinsed her hair of the soapy froth. With a rag, she washed her body of all the dirt, blood, and grime from her skin, making sure her tan flesh was clean and practically spotless.

Harli wrapped her towel around her body and gathered up her clothes into her arms. With a knife in one hand, flashlight in the other, and dirty clothes under her arm, she began her way back through the cold corridors. She walked awkwardly with her unlaced boots, but finally made her way back into the commons. Her hand twisted the jiggly handle of the door to her makeshift bedroom, and as she stepped in, she turned off her flashlight. Most of the candles were lit up in the room, the rest of it dark and dreary. On the bed lied Daryl, face down, with half his leg hanging off the bed and his arm dangling off the side. Harli noticed his eyes were closed and she wondered if he were sleeping. It was possible he had passed out in the short time she had been showering, but highly unlikely. Still, she was quiet as she moved about the room.

Harli tossed her dirty clothes in a pile in the corner. She noticed the pile was beginning to get larger by the day, meaning she had to wash them the next day- or later that day, seeing as it was now very early the next morning. With one tip of her boot on the back of the other, she pried the boots off her feet and kicked them up against the wall. Giving a quick glance to Daryl's crossbow, Harli then strode over to the bed, where Daryl shifted lightly. His deep blue eyes opened and glistened in the candlelight as he stared over at her. She sat down on the bed at the edge of his feet, staring back at him while she rested her hands on her lap.

"Didn't wake you up, did I?" Her voice caressed the air as she placed her hand on his leg. Daryl scoffed,

"Me? Sleep?" He folded his hands under his head, resting his face on them and closing his eyes, "Wouldn't that be nice?"

"Well... why don't I go through with my offer earlier?" She smiled and began to rub his leg. Daryl opened his eyes again,

"As good as that sound you should probably get some sleep. It's late." He lightly protested. Harli stood on her feet the towel still wrapped around her body and crawled onto the bed. She placed a knee on both sides of him and straddled his lower back.

"I don't mind, and I know you want it, so don't worry about it." Harli pulled her wet hair over her shoulder and tilted her head, "Can you take off your vest? And maybe... your shirt, too?"

Harli was hesitant to ask. Even being so intimate with him at times, and as trusting as he was with her, he was still very timid about being around her shirtless. He still acted like he was ashamed of what his body looked like, and he knew she didn't care, but he was still shy about it. Daryl groaned under Harli and hoisted himself up on one arm, yanking off his angel winged vest and tossing it on the floor. She then waited a few moments as she saw him fumbling underneath him, and in her surprise, Daryl slowly pulled off his sleeveless shirt as well.

Harli's cool hands made contact with his warm skin. Underneath her palms she could feel him letting out a breath of relief. She then rubbed her hands up his spine, feeling the ridges of his scars passing her hands as they move. The tension of his muscle made her sigh lightly like a breath; he was only tense because of where she was touching. But ignoring the fact, she continued to massage his back. Moving up, her palms rolled across his skin, and as she moved back down towards his pant-line, her fingernails lightly scraped all the way. Daryl's breathing began to steady out, and with a few groans here and there, Harli smiled with accomplishment.

She bent down and breathed on his skin, feeling his goose bumps under her palms. Her wet hair tickled his hot, tan skin, and as she brushed the tips of her lips all the way up her back, her wet hair followed. Her hand trailed up his back once again, this time, her fingers entwined into his hair. She rubbed his scalp, barely brushing his dirty hair with her fingers. Keeping her face near his back, she pressed her lips up against one of his scars, kissing it tenderly. She moved onto the next, and then the next, kissing each and every one of them as they ended on his lower back. Harli then got back to business and proceeded to rub and massage his back.

After a good, long while, Harli gauging it to be about a half an hour, she stopped when she noticed his breathing had completely slowed. Leaning over him, she tucked her hair behind her ear and looked down at him, seeing his eyes closed. She whispered his name in his ear, but he yielded no response. Daryl was out like a light and immersed in deep slumber. Harli felt relieved in helping him fall asleep. She didn't know how long it would last, she was just glad that he passed out. Feeling tired herself, Harli raked her fingers through her hair and over her head, leaning her body down and pressing her ear against his back. She lied her body down next to him, but kept her head on him like he was a pillow. His heartbeat was so rhythmic, so soothing, that when she closed her eyes, she didn't want to open them again. She just wanted to listen to it; listen to that strong heart of his beat until she passed out in slumber.

**.:=:.**

Daryl's eyes popped open when he heard a light knock on the door to his and Harli's room.

He went to jump up, but halted when he felt a weight on his back. Looking over his shoulder, he let out a breath as he saw Harli lying on his back, her arms curled up against her chest. Her long hair was strung out across his skin and she was fast asleep. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her, so he slowly turned his body sideways to where her head slid against his ribs. With both his arms now free, he very gently lifted her head and shoulders off of him and lied her down on the bed. Daryl then took notice that she was still clad in the wet towel she had fallen asleep in. As much as he wanted to peel that towel off her naked body and gawk at her beauty, someone was ultimately waiting for him at the door and he didn't want whoever it was to see Harli in such a nude state.

Quickly, he tossed a blanket over her, knowing she would get cold without the warm she was curled up to most of the night. He then moved to the door, but before his hand met with door, he stopped when he sudden realized he was shirtless. His eyes desperately searched for his vest on the floor, and after he found it, he tossed it on swiftly and made way towards the door once again.

He cracked the door open and cursed in his head from the sudden bright light that met his eyes. He squinted as he looked at the person who had knocked on the door: Rick, "What's up?"

"Didn't interrupt anything, did I?" Rick asked amusingly, seeing Daryl was shirtless under his vest. Daryl shook his head,

"Nah, Harli fell asleep on me last night, didn't want to wake her she needs sleep."

"Yeah, she does." Rick agreed with a nod. He looked down at his hand, where a Styrofoam plate, with pills inside, was situated, "I brought these meds for her, I know she ain't as sick as the others, but better safe than sorry."

He motioned it over towards Daryl, who took it and nodded, "Yeah, thanks."

"We're gonna start cleaning up all those bodies here in a few minutes. Gonna need all the help we can get."

"No problem. Let me get my shoes on and I'll meet you out there."

Rick nodded and turned around, and as he did, Daryl closed the door and moved back into the darkness. Only a few candles remained lit, but they were just enough for Daryl to see. He picked a dark colored, sleeveless shirt from the clean pile of clothing in a hamper and buttoned it up. He then pulled his vest back on and grabbed his boots from the floor. With his crossbow shouldered and his knife sheathed on his belt, Daryl cracked open the door and snuck out, shutting it behind him as quietly as possible.

Daryl sat on one of the benches and laced up his boots, tying them loosely at the top. He then stood up and trudged over towards the iron door leading to the outside. Pulling it open, he grunted at the incredibly bright light of the sky, seeing the sun already pretty high up there. Mentally he thanked Harli; she was mostly the reason why he finally got decent sleep.

"Morning." Daryl looked over, seeing Michonne standing near a trailer already loaded with Walker's bodies. Daryl walked over towards her,

"Should say afternoon."

"I ain't even noon yet." She said, leaning down and grabbing a Walker by its ankles. She then proceeded to drag it towards the trailer, "Have a good sleep with your _apple pie_?"

Daryl frowned at the nickname that Michonne had given Harli. Harli didn't mind at all, but he hated how Michonne teased him about her, but mostly ignored it, "Somewhat. Need any help?"

Michonne huffed for the change of subject, "Nah, I got this, but graves need to be dug for our own, and I know how much you love to dig."

"Yeah, guess I'll get on that then." Daryl wheeled around on his heel and began to walk towards the gardening area. He grabbed some gloves from a table and a shovel from the side of the prison.

After pulling on his gloves, Daryl handled the shovel and walked down towards the makeshift graveyard. He picked out a few good spots and began digging.

Harli stirred in her somewhat comfortable bed, her fingers bringing the blanket on her up over her head. Her mind slowly succumbed to consciousness and she groaned, turning over and extending her arm. When her hand met with the mattress, she slowly opened her eyes to see nothing but emptiness beside her. With a deep sigh, she pushed herself up with her hand and rubbed her forehead with her other, groaning, "Why can't I have one morning where I can just wake up beside him...?"

Harli yanked the blanket off of her, seeing the towel she exited the shower with was still wrapped around her bosom. Not knowing exactly how it could still be clasping onto her body, she noticed the door was cracked open, letting a stream of light in. As much as she wanted to leave it open, she got off the bed and closed it, sliding the towel off her naked self and walking over to her clean clothes hamper. There, she yanked out some clothing, trying to decipher which pieces she wanted to wear by the little candle light.

After finding a small pair of dark brown shorts and a black tank top, Harli pulled her hair up onto the back of her head after she dressed herself. She then proceeded to lace her shin-high boots and gather her weapons before heading out the door.

She stopped for a moment, seeing something out of the ordinary on the table as she grabbed her knife. It was a Styrofoam bowl with pills inside; she knew for a fact it wasn't there before she went to sleep. But as she continued to look at them, she noticed they were antibiotics. Daryl must have left them for her before he ventured out on whatever tasks he had at hand. With a sigh, she grabbed up a water bottle in one hand, uncapped it, and dumped the pills in her other. She tipped her head back and popped the pills into her mouth, feeling their bitterness already dissolving on her tongue as they hit. She then dumped a swash of water into her mouth and swallowed hard, the lump of water and antibiotics in her throat rolling hard all the way down.

Harli's compound bow thumped against her back as she walked out the door, squinting at the sun boring through the window above her.

"Didn't sleep long after I left." Harli's attention was instantly caught by Daryl's rough voice. She watched as he ripped the gardening gloves off his hands and tossed them on a table, "Gettin' too attached to me."

"How long ago did you get up?"

"I dunno, maybe like an hour." He shrugged as he walked up towards her, "Rick needed help with the Walker bodies, can't exactly tell him to screw off."

"You can." Harli said sarcastically, "That way I can get my way and sleep in with you as long as I can."

"If only it were that easy." Daryl scoffed and turned towards C block. Harli stopped him momentarily,

"Where are you off to now?"

"Gotta go talk to Rick bout somethin', I'll be back and you can come help me get them body's outta D block." Daryl turned around and disappeared into the direction of C block.

Harli pursed her lips and looked around, _'What to do...'_ she thought to herself. The thought of Glenn suddenly flooded her mind, so she immediately began her descent towards D block. The smell of decaying bodies was already filling the air, and got consecutively worse as she got closer to D block. But as horrible as the gut wrenching smell was, Harli quickly acclimated to it. Her hand gripped one of the bars of the D block door; it creaked as she pushed it open. Stepping in, she noticed the bodies of the deceased had been dragged and placed up against the walls. Sheets veiled their vile appearance, but could not mask the diseased smell they were emitting.

Looking past that, she heard shuffling from the second floor of cells and looked up towards the cell nearest to the stairs. She ascended the steel, yet rickety stairs, spotting who she was there to find just as she got to the top. There sat Glenn and Maggie in the small cell, Maggie helping Glenn drink some water. And as she heard Harli approach, Maggie looked at her and smiled, then looked back down to Glenn, "You have a visitor."

Glenn struggled to look behind him from the bed, but Harli was already as the door when he spotted her, "Hey stranger."

"Look at you, not looking like hell anymore." Harli smiled and leaned against the doorway, "How you feeling?"

"Better... better." Glenn smiled and closed his eyes, "Never want to ever have the feeling of struggling to breathe ever again. Sure is scary."

"I can imagine." Harli nodded, "Should try to get up and out for some fresh air later, will do you some good."

"That sounds nice."

"We'll see how you're feelin' later." Maggie reassured with a nod and looked up at Harli, "What about you? Not feelin' as sick as the others I see."

"Not really, only thing I had was a pretty nasty cough and some headaches. But those... kinda went away after I got shot in the head." Harli tapped her index finger on her temple, where her stitches were still placed.

"Wait, wait, you got shot in the head?" Glenn asked, concerned as he opened his eyes to look at her again. Harli smiled down at him,

"It's a rather long story, and the bullet just grazed me so, I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"Kind of hard not to, you're lucky to be alive." He exclaimed and Harli nodded,

"Yeah, and so are you."

"Did you take your medication?" Maggie asked as she looked at Harli, "I think Bob said he gave some to Daryl for you a while ago."

"Yeah, I took some before I left my room this morning. Didn't really think I would need it, but... you know, gotta make Daryl happy."

"Because if Daryl ain't happy, nobody's happy." Maggie laughed and Harli sighed,

"You can say that again." Harli pulled her bow off her back and rested it against the wall next to her as she sat down, "So, I guess things got pretty nasty last night while we were gone?"

"Yeah," Maggie rested her hands in her lap, "Daddy was in here with everyone who began to turn. He managed to keep everyone that was still alive safe, and killed all the Walkers. He didn't want me in here, but I had to, I had to come in here and help."

"I don't blame you. I would've done the same thing." Harli played with the string of her bowstrap, "We got into our own little situation yesterday, too... getting the meds out of that veterinary hospital was not as easy as I thought it would be."

"Since when were things ever easy to get?" Glenn mumbled.

"Guess I still haven't been able to lower my expectations." Harli laughed under her breath, "Just not used to it being... well mostly us nowadays I guess. We went all those months with so many people helping us with runs and everything was so much easier back then."

"Was easier, but we had higher risk." Maggie said, "We still lost people."

"Yeah, I know." Harli pouted, "Just seems like our numbers are dwindling again."

"We'll be alright, just gotta be strong." Maggie reassured, "Once we get this sickness taken care of, and the fences fixed we'll-"

The three jumped at a loud explosion, Harli throwing her hands to her ears in sheer terror. The building shook as if an earthquake was hitting them hard, but stopped almost as abruptly as it started. Outside, they could hear concrete crumbling to the ground. Harli and Maggie stared at each other in horror, and as Glenn tried to get up, Maggie kept him down on the bed.

"No! You stay here!"

"But-!"

"No but's, stay!" Maggie jumped up and grabbed her gun.

The two brunettes jumped down the stairs, Beth running out from the cell in which she was caring for Judith. She followed Harli and Maggie outside, and as they stepped into the sunlight, Harli quickly assessed the damage that had been inflicted on the prison wall. She immediately began looking around, but saw no one who could have thrown a grenade. That was the only thing she thought could do that type of damage to a thick brick wall. But her thoughts were soon faltered when she saw what had really caused the damage, and it made her heart sink.

She, Maggie, Beth, and Carl all hid behind a security officer's box, just in case gunfire would ensue.

"What is it?" Maggie whispered harshly. Harli stared at the perpetrator, her hands beginning to shake under his malevolent gaze.

"It's The Governor... and he has a tank."


End file.
